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FDA testing found Cyclospora in wastewater at Taylor Farms de Mexico’s lettuce processing facility and in a drainage ditch at a contract grower’s farm. The findings add environmental evidence to the investigation of a summer outbreak linked to recalled shredded iceberg lettuce, but FDA says it cannot yet determine how contamination occurred.
The Food and Drug Administration found Cyclospora in wastewater at a Taylor Farms de Mexico lettuce processing facility and in a drainage ditch at a grower’s farm in Mexico, adding environmental evidence to the investigation of a summer outbreak linked to the company’s iceberg lettuce. The FDA said the results show the parasite was present where lettuce was processed and grown, but do not establish how contamination occurred.
The FDA said it collected samples during onsite inspections at multiple iceberg lettuce growers and a processing facility in Mexico, working in coordination with Mexican officials. Sampling covered water, soil, sediment and iceberg lettuce. Two samples tested positive for Cyclospora: one from a tank holding outgoing wastewater at the Taylor Farms de Mexico facility and one from a drainage ditch at an iceberg lettuce grower identified through the agency’s traceback investigation.
The investigation concerns an outbreak linked to recalled shredded iceberg lettuce distributed by Taylor Fresh Foods. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention counted 12,883 illnesses, 570 hospitalizations and two deaths. The CDC reported on September 11 that the outbreak had ended. The FDA’s October 2 findings do not change that status, but add evidence about the presence of the parasite in the production environment.
The FDA said genotyping of both positive samples has been completed, while analysis continues to assess how those results relate to genetic testing of samples from outbreak patients. The agency said environmental findings add to epidemiological evidence and traceback results linking the outbreak to the recalled lettuce, but that there is not enough evidence to conclusively determine how contamination happened.
What the Environmental Samples Add
The positive samples matter because they locate Cyclospora in the environment connected to the lettuce supply chain under investigation, rather than relying only on illness reports and product tracking. The findings add another line of evidence to the FDA’s investigation and may help officials assess how the outbreak was connected to the operation.
They do not, on their own, show that either sampled location contaminated the lettuce eaten by outbreak patients. The wastewater tank and drainage ditch are environmental sampling sites, and the FDA has not said the samples establish a specific route of contamination. For consumers, the CDC’s report that the outbreak ended is distinct from the continuing work to determine what happened and how similar risks might be reduced.
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How the Lettuce Was Traced
The first links between outbreak patients and Taylor Farms iceberg lettuce emerged in July, after people who ate Taco Bell menu items containing the lettuce became ill. The restaurant chain sourced that lettuce from Taylor Farms, according to the report. The FDA’s traceback investigation then identified several farms and a processing facility in Mexico that supplied lettuce later recalled and distributed by Taylor Fresh Foods.
Traceback work follows a food product through its supply chain to identify farms, processors and distribution points connected to illness reports. In this case, the FDA combined that investigation with onsite inspections and environmental sampling. The agency’s findings add to the earlier epidemiological and traceback evidence, while leaving the precise contamination pathway unresolved.
“There is currently not enough evidence to conclusively determine how contamination occurred in the outbreak.”
— U.S. Food and Drug Administration
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The Contamination Route Is Unknown
The FDA has not determined how Cyclospora entered the lettuce supply, whether either positive environmental sample is genetically connected to the outbreak illnesses, or where and when any contamination may have occurred. Although genotyping of the two environmental samples is complete, the agency said it is still comparing those results with ongoing genotyping of samples from patients.
The reported findings also do not establish that the wastewater tank or drainage ditch directly contaminated lettuce. The available information does not specify whether additional positive samples were found, nor does it provide a timetable for completing the genetic analysis. Those points remain unresolved in the report.
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FDA Analysis and Facility Status
The FDA said it will continue analyzing how the genotyping results from the two positive samples relate to testing of outbreak-patient specimens. That comparison may add information to the investigation, but the agency has not announced a completion date or said it will determine a specific contamination route.
Separately, Taylor Fresh Foods’ spokesperson told ABC News that the Central Mexico facility remains closed while the company works on enhanced safety protocols. The spokesperson also said the grower where one positive sample was collected is no longer in the supplier program. The report does not give a reopening date or further details about the company’s protocols. The outbreak itself was reported ended by the CDC on September 11.
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Key Questions
Where did the FDA find Cyclospora?
The FDA reported positive samples from a wastewater tank at Taylor Farms de Mexico’s processing facility and a drainage ditch at an iceberg lettuce grower identified in its traceback investigation.
Did the FDA determine how the lettuce became contaminated?
No. The agency said it does not have enough evidence to conclusively establish how contamination occurred. The positive environmental samples show the parasite was present at sites connected to growing and processing.
How large was the outbreak?
The CDC counted 12,883 illnesses, 570 hospitalizations and two deaths in the summer outbreak linked to recalled shredded iceberg lettuce. It reported that the outbreak had ended on September 11.
Is the Taylor Farms facility still operating?
A Taylor Fresh Foods spokesperson told ABC News that the Central Mexico facility remains closed while the company works on enhanced safety protocols. No reopening date was provided in the report.
What is the FDA doing now?
The FDA said it is continuing to compare genotyping results from the two positive environmental samples with testing of samples from outbreak patients. The agency has not provided a timetable for that analysis.
Source: rss
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