Many shoppers are now paying closer attention to where their food comes from as Taylor Farms removed iceberg lettuce sourced from central Mexico following an FDA investigation linking some of its lettuce to a cyclosporiasis outbreak. Shoppers at the Mountain Farmers Market in Los Gatos said they prefer buying directly from the people who grow their produce. “I love to meet the farmers, and I feel like just knowing where your food comes from is amazing. It just feels really good. It’s beautiful produce,” Los Gatos resident Mary Curtiss said. The concern follows an FDA investigation linking shredded iceberg lettuce served at taco bell restaurants in Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Ohio, and west Virginia to a cyclosporiasis outbreak. Recalls 11 hours ago Taylor Farms recalls iceberg lettuce amid cyclosporiasis outbreak Health Jul 16 Iceberg lettuce supplier investigated as possible source in cyclosporiasis outbreak Health Wellness Jul 15 Health officials look into cyclosporiasis outbreak as cases increase nationwide Friday, Taco Bell released a statement after some of its customers reported feeling ill saying it would remove all Taylor Farms affected lettuce from its products. Cyclosporiasis is a parasite that can contaminate fresh produce, causing severe and prolonged diarrhea. The FDA urged customers in those states to avoid shredded iceberg lettuce supplied by Taylor Farms Mexico. Taylor Farms says the FDA traceback points to a single independent farm, representing less than 1% of the nation’s iceberg lettuce supply. But as a precaution, the company says it’s removing all iceberg lettuce from that growing region indefinitely. The FDA says 1,644 people infected with cyclosporiasis who reported eating at taco bell have been reported by the five affected states. Meanwhile, the CDC says it has received reports of 1,645 confirmed domestic cases of cyclosporiasis since May 1, with more than 5,100 additional reports still under review to determine whether they are domestically acquired cases of cyclosporiasis. In California, health officials say there are no known local outbreaks. “The fact that we haven’t seen that happen in California while so much is going in the Midwest, suggests that our food distribution, or the lot of vegetables that was implicated in the Midwest, was not sent to California, because you would expect a lot more people to be sick,” UCSF Infectious Disease Specialist Dr. Peter Chin-Hong said. While California isn’t seeing a spike in cases, Chin-Hong says there are still simple ways to reduce risk. “Use fruits that has a peel like avocados, melons, mangos, oranges, bananas, things you can peel. Because the inside of the fruit generally has very little contact with soil,” he said. For those buying lettuce, Chin-Hong recommends choosing a whole head instead of bagged greens whenever possible and removing the outer leaves before eating. Health officials recommended those who develop severe or prolonged diarrhea to contact their healthcare provider. ...read more read less