FDA Issues Conflicting Messages on Contaminated Lettuce Linked to Diarrhea Outbreak

This past Saturday, I found myself at a birthday dinner at Olive Garden, excited for a hearty serving of pasta and some of that delicious Olive Garden dressing on a fresh salad. But as we went around the table placing our orders, a few friends reminded us that lettuce is currently a no-go. Apparently, it could lead to some serious digestive issues. So, everyone quickly switched to soup instead.

During our meal, I mentioned that I had indulged in Taco Bell a few days earlier, including a Doritos Locos taco topped with lettuce. My friends, half-jokingly, said they’d check in on me in a week, given the long incubation period for whatever lettuce-related illness was making the rounds.

Then, today, the news took a turn: lettuce might be okay now? Or maybe not?

Last week, there was a report about investigators linking a cyclospora parasite outbreak to Taco Bell, specifically its lettuce supplier, Taylor Farms. Taco Bell had announced it was removing all affected lettuce from its locations. Shortly after, Taylor Farms issued a recall across 27 states. However, the situation was chaotic, as the recall notice only listed products by brand code, which most shoppers don’t memorize. This left many confused about which salad items were safe. For instance, at our Olive Garden dinner, we wondered if we could eat the salad, since it also comes from Taylor Farms, and we were in a state with confirmed infections. At least the pasta was a safe bet.

Then yesterday, the FDA announced that their tests on Taylor Farms lettuce, which supposedly contained the cyclospora, were actually a false positive. However, they’re still investigating Taylor Farms as a potential source of the outbreak. Meanwhile, Taylor Farms is celebrating not being officially implicated while still issuing a voluntary recall.

Interestingly, Taylor Farms made a significant donation to a Trump-aligned super PAC just days before a new regulation aimed at helping trace foodborne illnesses more quickly was delayed until 2028. Who knows what that means!

So, can we eat Taco Bell or not? On one hand, it seems like everyone involved is either corrupt or trying to cover their tracks, making it likely that Taylor Farms is indeed the source of the cyclospora. On the other hand, the confusion and lack of trust in the government make it easy to believe this could just be a mix-up. People in the U.S. often joke about Mexican food causing stomach issues, and it wouldn’t be surprising if this administration tried to play into that narrative. After all, Taco Bell isn’t the one growing the lettuce with the cyclospora.

Right now, it seems the best course of action is to just avoid leafy greens altogether? And maybe berries too? Not exactly a healthy way to go about things. Good thing our government is so committed to food safety and actively working to track down and eliminate issues like this, right?