BY ALICE CALLAHAN AND CAROLINE HOPKINS LEGASPI
The United States is in the midst of its worst year yet for cyclosporiasis, an intestinal illness caused by a parasite transmitted through food or water contaminated with human feces.
On Friday, Taylor Farms announced that it was recalling shredded iceberg lettuce products from 27 states, including Florida, Kentucky, North Carolina, New Jersey, Ohio and Texas.
The products included salad mixes and blends that were marketed under several brand codes, though the company did not clarify what those codes stood for. Some of the products were distributed as recently as Thursday and had sell by dates through Aug. 3.
In a statement issued on Friday, the company said that no Taylor Farms-branded salads or kits were associated with the outbreak, though it remained unclear how the affected lettuce had been distributed and labeled, and where it was sold.
Taylor Farms, based in Salinas, Calif., is one of the largest producers of fresh vegetables and fruits in the country, and their products are sold in many U.S. supermarkets including Safeway, Whole Foods, Target and Walmart.
Federal officials have linked at least 1,644 cases of the illness in five states — Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Ohio and West Virginia — to shredded iceberg lettuce served at Taco Bell. In a notice posted Thursday night, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention warned people not to eat lettuce from Taco Bell locations in those states.
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