Food supplier halts lettuce shipments after parasite outbreak sickens thousands

Taylor Farms, a large U.S. food company, has stopped sending iceberg lettuce from Central Mexico to shops and restaurants. The decision came after more than 1,200 people across multiple states became sick with cyclosporiasis, a parasitic illness. Symptoms include watery diarrhoea, sudden weight loss, and loss of appetite, and they can appear up to two weeks after eating contaminated food. The recalled lettuce reached at least 27 states, including Marketside-branded lettuce sold at Walmart. Taco Bell also removed lettuce, cilantro, onion, and guacamole from its menu. Health authorities at the CDC and FDA worked together to find the source. An early FDA test showed a positive result for cyclospora, but this was later found to be incorrect.