Retailers avoid central Mexico produce as US cyclospora outbreak spreads

Some major retailers and restaurants have stopped sourcing produce from a region in central Mexico linked to a growing U.S. cyclosporiasis outbreak due to concerns over possible widespread contamination, former U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Commissioner Scott Gottlieb said Monday.

The FDA has linked the outbreak to iceberg lettuce served at Taco Bell restaurants that was supplied by privately held Taylor Farms’ operations in central Mexico. However, health officials continue to investigate other possible food products that may be contributing to the rising number of cases.

Gottlieb said broad contamination in the region could increase the risk of consumers contracting cyclosporiasis, a parasitic illness that causes severe diarrhea. He said removing products connected to central Mexico from supply chains could help reduce potential health risks.

Speaking on CNBC, Gottlieb said several outbreak clusters, including those in the Great Lakes region, New York and North Carolina, appeared to be potentially linked to parsley and cilantro from central Mexico, although investigators have not yet identified the exact source.

“I think everyone believes that region is suspect,” Gottlieb said, adding that a significant amount of produce from the area has been removed from supply chains.

He did not name the companies that had stopped sourcing products, and Reuters was unable to immediately confirm which retailers or restaurants had taken such measures.

Concerns Over Possible Contamination

Gottlieb said weather conditions may have contributed to the contamination risk. He noted that raw sewage could have entered agricultural areas through flooding, sewage canal breaches, contaminated irrigation water or overflowing portable toilets used by farm workers.

“There was some event that happened in central Mexico — we don’t know what yet — that led to a lot of fields probably getting contaminated,” Gottlieb said.

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and Taylor Farms did not immediately comment.

Taylor Farms said it voluntarily suspended production at its central Mexico facility and removed potentially affected products from the market after concerns emerged about the possible source of the outbreak.

The FDA said Taylor Farms agreed to remove affected produce following discussions with the agency. However, a source familiar with the matter said the company did not meet the agency’s 24-hour timeframe for deciding whether it would take voluntary action after being presented with evidence.

Cases Continue to Rise

The U.S. outbreak has reached 4,173 laboratory-confirmed cases, with health officials tracking more than 7,400 additional suspected cases, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Gottlieb said the number of infections was likely underreported and that the actual number of cases could be 10 to 20 times higher than current figures.

“This is the largest outbreak we’ve ever seen in history of cyclospora,” he said.

Michigan reported 9,253 cases on Monday, an increase of 1,077 cases since its previous update on Friday. County health officials said other unidentified products, aside from Taylor Farms’ lettuce from Mexico, may also be contributing to illnesses.

“Certainly, it doesn’t tell the whole story with this one recall,” said Avani Sheth, chief medical health officer in Wayne County, Michigan, which includes Detroit.

Mexican Industry Calls for Caution

Mexican agricultural officials urged caution while investigations into the outbreak continue.

Mario Puente, head of health and safety at Mexico’s CNA agricultural chamber, said the group was working with authorities to investigate the outbreak and strengthen prevention measures.

“I believe we must all be very cautious, both in Mexico and the U.S., and see this evaluation through to the very end,” said Raul Urteaga, a former Mexican official and founder of consulting group Global Agrotrade Advisors.

Urteaga said U.S. health authorities, including the FDA and the U.S. Department of Agriculture, along with Mexico’s sanitary agency SENASICA, conduct regular inspections at farms and border facilities.

SENASICA, as well as major U.S. grocery retailers and restaurant chains, did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

Mexican authorities said irrigation water used by Taylor Farms came from certified company-owned wells. They reported no worker health concerns and said water and lettuce samples tested negative for cyclospora.

Mexico produces about 550,000 tons of lettuce annually, according to consultancy GCMA, with half exported, mostly to the United States. Mexican lettuce accounts for about four-fifths of U.S. imported lettuce.

Only five states in central and northern Mexico produce about three-quarters of the country’s lettuce supply. Guanajuato, where Taylor Farms operates its main facility in Mexico, produces the largest share at 28%.

GCMA Director Juan Carlos Anaya said it was unusual that lettuce samples have not tested positive for cyclospora and that Mexico has reported only a small number of cases.

“The situation isn’t what it is in the United States, and we eat lettuce too,” Anaya said. -Reporting by Siddhi Mahatole in Bengaluru, Sarah Morland in Mexico City and Tom Polansek in Chicago. Additional Reporting by Anuja Bharat Mistry; Editing by Caroline Humer, Tasim Zahid and Matthew Lewis/Reuters