Produce Recall Issued In Parasite Outbreak Hitting PA

A recall on a popular brand of lettuce has been issued as the outbreak of the parasite cyclosporiasis continues in Pennsylvania and across the country. It comes the same week as investigators found a potential link to Taco Bell.

Taylor Fresh Foods is voluntarily removing all of its iceberg lettuce from the United States and Mexico.

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The FDA said that customers should also avoid eating any shredded lettuce from Taco Bell locations in five states: Michigan, Ohio, Indiana, Kentucky, and West Virginia.

"Additional states may be added to this advisory as more information becomes available," the FDA said in a statement Friday. "Taco Bell is working to stop use of all lettuce implicated by this investigation."

They added that not all Taco Bell locations in the impacted states received the product, but the warning applies to all locations.

Pennsylvania's rate of cyclosporiasis cases has not changed in the last few days, even as the outbreak has now grown to 31 states. The state has 28 confirmed cases. Most of those cases, 14, are in southeastern Pennsylvania, while 2 are in the northeast, 1 in the northwest, and 11 are in Allegheny County.

There are 167 Taco Bell locations spread across the Keystone State.

A number of Taco Bell locations have posted signs announcing they are "currently unable to sell Lettuce, Cilantro Onion, Pico de Gallo, and Guacamole due to a nationwide recall," according to Detroit-area news radio outlet WWJ.

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Taco Bell told the Post it would keep monitoring the situation and follow authorities' guidance.

“Public health officials have not confirmed a link to Taco Bell or any specific ingredient, supplier, restaurant or retailer," the company told the Post. "While authorities continue their broader review, Taco Bell has voluntarily and temporarily removed limited ingredients at select restaurants as a precautionary measure.”

In Michigan, where cases have been concentrated, media reports said notices were posted at some Detroit-area Taco Bell restaurants last week telling customers the chain was “currently unable to sell Lettuce, Cilantro-Onion, Pico de Gallo, and Guacamole due to a nationwide recall."

In a statement, Michigan’s health department said lettuce or salad greens are likely the source of its outbreak, but cautioned that it can’t yet rule out any vectors.

While the CDC has only confirmed 1,645 cases domestically, along with hundreds of other cases acquired abroad, state health departments have confirmed more than 7,000 cases since May 1 of this year.

With reporting from Patch correspondent Michelle Witte