The FDA previously said that laboratory testing had identified Cyclospora, the parasite responsible for a multistate diarrhea outbreak that has sickened thousands, in a sample of shredded iceberg lettuce supplied by Taylor Farms de Mexico. But after reviewing the sample results again, the agency said it was revising its announcement.
Here’s what else you should know about the cyclosporiasis outbreak and what you can do to protect yourself.
On Saturday, July 18, the FDA said (in a page that has since been deleted) that a sample of Taylor Farms shredded iceberg lettuce had tested positive for Cyclospora. The sample was collected as part of the agency’s outbreak investigation from a batch of imported products at the southern border, the FDA said. The following day, the agency said the test had been a false positive. It later stressed that Taylor Farms lettuce remained implicated as a potential source of the outbreak despite the testing error.
“To clarify, this false-positive lab sample DOES NOT change the basis for FDA’s ongoing outbreak investigation or the overwhelming epidemiological data supporting the current voluntary recall by Taylor Farms,” the FDA post said.
The company added that the FDA had “apologized” for its testing mistake. An FDA official said at a press conference Monday that the agency had not apologized to Taylor Farms, but had notified the company of the results of its testing process.
The FDA said at a press conference on Monday that it has investigated multiple clusters of cyclosporiasis cases since May, though the outbreak linked to Taco Bell and Taylor Farms is the largest.
What is a “false positive” result?
A false positive happens when a test says something is present, but it actually isn’t. Food-safety experts say a false positive result for Cyclospora in food is common.
But if the sample is compromised or too many cycles of the test are run, “you can also amplify garbage DNA in the sample” that is not from the parasite but is similar enough to fool the test, which could result in a false positive, Schaffner says.
Cyclospora is difficult to detect in food, FDA officials have said, and detecting the parasite in iceberg lettuce is particularly tricky as the vegetable’s short shelf-life and the parasite’s long incubation period mean that by the time people are sickened, the contaminated lettuce is usually gone from store shelves and restaurant tables.
So, is it safe to eat lettuce?
The FDA also says to avoid eating “recalled lettuce at any Taco Bell location” or other restaurants. “If you don’t know the source of the iceberg lettuce, ask the restaurant,” the agency advises.
Cooking vegetables and fruits to an internal temperature of at least 158°F can kill Cyclospora. But some food-safety experts say it is probably OK to eat that Caesar salad or burger with shredded greens. Schaffner, the Rutgers expert, says he hasn’t changed his own eating habits and continues to eat salads daily.
“I know people are worried, but I don’t think you need to stop eating fresh produce,” Schaffner says.
“What I’ve been advising everyone to do is to follow food-safety guidelines, which is what we should be doing anyway: wash your hands before, during and after food prep, for example, and rinse all produce under running water,” he says.
If you do develop symptoms of cyclosporiasis, which include watery and sometimes explosive diarrhea, the CDC recommends contacting your doctor, getting tested, and staying hydrated.
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