The largest cyclospora food poisoning outbreak in U.S. history was officially declared over on Friday, yet a new health concern involving broccoli sprouts seems to be on the rise.
FDA officials confirmed that all recalled iceberg lettuce associated with the previous outbreak has been removed from stores. But there’s still an underlying worry in the produce aisles.
Health authorities are currently looking into a salmonella outbreak linked to broccoli sprouts from Evergreen Fresh Sprouts. So far, 22 individuals have fallen ill, with two requiring hospitalization, as reported by the CDC.
Based in Idaho, Evergreen Fresh Sprouts has voluntarily recalled its product across several states including Montana, Utah, and Washington.
There are concerns that the sprouts might be contaminated with salmonella bovismorbificans, a type of bacteria known to cause severe diarrhea.
The cyclospora outbreak began in July, leading to nearly 20,000 confirmed lab cases—significantly higher than reported in the same period last year. There were also over 6,100 suspected cases during this time.
The outbreak resulted in two fatalities and over 570 hospitalizations due to symptoms like severe diarrhea, vomiting, and bloating, according to the CDC.
California’s Taylor Farms, particularly its Mexican operations, have been tied to the outbreak, affecting Taco Bell restaurants and negatively impacting lettuce sales across the board.
Many individuals reportedly became sick after dining at Taco Bells located in Michigan, Ohio, and other areas.
At its apex, the outbreak saw over 1,000 infections in a single day, a stark contrast to the fewer than two daily infections noted in August.
Numerous lawsuits have been filed against Taco Bell and Taylor Farms by affected individuals, with victims set to receive compensation for their suffering in the upcoming months, as previously reported.
Initially, Taylor Farms disputed the government’s contamination claims, stating that the FDA had “apologized” for conflicting test results regarding their lettuce, suggesting an error on the agency’s part.
However, the FDA maintained that it did not offer any apologies, highlighting that Taylor Farms recalled a staggering 236,192 cases of salads due to potential contamination issues.
On Friday, federal officials noted that their investigation into the outbreak continues.
For context, the year with the second-highest cyclospora infections was 2019, when approximately 4,700 cases were recorded nationwide.
