- America's largest food distributor, Sysco, has ceased purchasing iceberg lettuce from Mexico following the record-breaking cyclospora outbreak in the US.
- The US Food and Drug Administration has traced the outbreak to iceberg lettuce supplied by Taylor Farms' operations in central Mexico, which was linked to Taco Bell restaurants.
- Sysco CEO Kevin Hourican confirmed the company is now sourcing iceberg lettuce from US growers and is working to diversify its procurement to reduce reliance on single suppliers.
- The cyclospora outbreak, which causes severe diarrhoea and other gastrointestinal symptoms, has grown to 10,468 laboratory-confirmed cases, making it the largest on record in the United States.
- Concerns over potential wider contamination have led some major retailers and restaurant chains to avoid produce from other growers in central Mexico, with two deaths potentially linked to cyclospora-related dehydration.
IN FULL
America’s biggest parasite outbreak forces food giant to ditch Mexican lettuce
