Mexican Town Fears Being Tainted by Outbreak

Residents in Mexico's lettuce belt are watching a US stomach bug story turn into an economic scare. In Guanajuato, the state tied by American health officials to a cyclospora outbreak sickening more than 11,000 people, the New York Times reports, locals joke about "stronger" stomachs—but worry far more about jobs and trade. At the center is Taylor Farms, a major salad producer and the area's biggest employer, after FDA investigators said their probe "continues to converge" on shredded iceberg lettuce from the company's central Mexico facilities. The FDA and the company say a positive cyclospora test was a false alarm.

Still, Taylor Fams has pulled all iceberg lettuce from Guanajuato off the US market, while Mexican officials say they've found only three cases at home and no proof the outbreak began there, though testing continues. Consumers want to know which restaurants and grocery stores buy lettuce from Taylor Farms, USA Today points out. Many, it turns out. The company doesn't list all restaurant chains, but they include McDonald's, Subway, KFC, Long John Silvers, Pizza Hut, and Olive Garden. Grocery customers include Walmart, Target, Safeway, and Whole Foods. Consumers can try Taylor Farms' Find a Product page here.

In Doctor Mora, Guanajuato, there's worry that any suggestion that the outbreak is linked to Taylor Farms could threaten the jobs of company employees, lettuce growers, and market vendors. "This could hit us pretty hard," said Carmen Ramírez. The mayor of the town of about 30,000 can picture empty fields and processing lines. "What becomes of them now?" asked Edgar Javier Reséndiz Jacobo.