Taylor Farms Recalls Jalapeños Linked to 345 Salmonella Cases Across 25 States

Q: What really triggered the FDA's false-positive test, and why does the massive Mexican lettuce recall remain in full effect?

The FDA says the “positive” lettuce result was not a real detection of Cyclospora but a laboratory error caused by false amplification during testing. After agency experts re-reviewed the sample from Taylor Farms de Mexico, they concluded the signal did not represent true amplification, so the result was withdrawn as a false positive. Regulators and outside food-safety experts have stressed that Cyclospora is especially difficult to detect in food samples, which makes testing vulnerable to both missed detections and occasional erroneous signals. The recall remains in full effect because it was not built on that one test result. FDA and CDC say the stronger evidence is epidemiologic and traceback data: interviews with sick people, exposure patterns, distribution records, and supplier tracing all continue to point to shredded iceberg lettuce from Taylor Farms de Mexico, sourced from central Mexico, as a major vehicle in the outbreak. Many illnesses were linked to Taco Bell exposure or recalled Taylor Farms lettuce, and numerous cases began before the July 17 recall. That is why federal officials have kept warning consumers not to eat the recalled products even though there is no confirmed positive product sample. Taylor Farms’ voluntary recall, Taco Bell’s removal of the lettuce, and Sysco’s withdrawal of the product were all based on the broader outbreak evidence and the need to remove potentially contaminated lettuce from the market while the investigation continues.

3 articles · Updated · The New York Times · Aug 13

Taylor Farms on Sunday recalled jalapeños and numerous prepared foods after the peppers were linked to 345 salmonella cases nationwide.
FDA notices said the affected peppers were grown in Sinaloa, Mexico, shipped to more than half of U.S. states, and used in products sold at Kroger, Target and Whole Foods.
The recall spans sliced jalapeños and prepared items such as guacamole, salsa, and rice-and-bean burritos, many sold under Taylor Farms or retailers’ house brands.
The jalapeño action follows Taylor Farms’ separate recall of Mexican iceberg lettuce tied to a cyclosporiasis outbreak, extending a difficult summer for fresh-produce safety.