The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced on Friday that its inspectors had detected cyclospora at a Mexican farm associated with the largest foodborne illness outbreak of the parasite in U.S. history. This revelation comes shortly after the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) declared an end to the outbreak that infected nearly 13,000 people across 21 states, resulting in 570 hospitalizations and two deaths.
Findings at the Farm
FDA inspectors reported finding cyclospora in two locations: a wastewater tank and a drainage ditch used for lettuce cultivation. However, the agency stated it remains unclear how the lettuce became infected.
This announcement follows a statement from Mexico’s food safety authority, which conducted its own investigation and claimed that cyclospora was not detected in the lettuce or water at the facility. This conclusion was made just days after the FDA had to retract a faulty test result that incorrectly identified cyclospora in a sample of lettuce from Taylor Farms collected at the border.
