Taylor Pulls Iceberg Lettuce Grown in Central Mexico

Taylor Fresh Foods is pulling a portion of America's salad supply after federal officials tied a parasite outbreak to iceberg lettuce grown in central Mexico. The company announced Friday that it's voluntarily yanking all iceberg from that region indefinitely, though the FDA's investigation has zeroed in on a single independent farm that accounts for less than 1% of the nation's iceberg supply. Taylor said that no other products are affected and that its branded salad kits don't use iceberg, the Wall Street Journal reports. The outbreak of cyclosporiasis has sickened people in more than 30 states and sent over 90 to the hospital, according to federal health officials.

The FDA has linked the illnesses to shredded iceberg lettuce served at Taco Bell restaurants in Michigan, Indiana, Ohio, Kentucky, and West Virginia. Taco Bell's parent company, Yum Brands, said the chain has voluntarily removed potentially affected lettuce in certain states. More than 1,600 people who fell ill reported eating at Taco Bell locations in the five states. Taylor, like other food producers, does not reveal which restaurants or stores serve its leafy greens or other vegetables, per the New York Times. And anyway, the company mostly sells to distributors that then sell the products to restaurants and grocery stores.