Federal officials on Friday announced that shredded iceberg lettuce imported from Mexico and served at Taco Bell restaurants in five states is a source of Cyclospora, the foodborne parasite causing the nationwide surge in cases of explosive, watery diarrhea. The five states are Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Ohio, and West Virginia.

A traceback investigation by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Food and Drug Administration identified a single supplier in Mexico as the source of iceberg lettuce for Taco Bell restaurants where sick people reported eating. While federal authorities did not name the supplier, sources told the Washington Post that it is Taylor Farms.

Taylor Farms was also implicated in a 2024 multi-state E. coli outbreak linked to contaminated onions served at McDonald's and other fast-food restaurants. At the time, FDA inspectors found multiple violations at a Taylor Farms facility in Colorado.

Read full article

Comments

Anti-vaccine Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has stacked another federal advisory panel with allies, advancing his efforts to force the Food and Drug Administration to reverse its stance on a dozen popular but unproven injectable peptide drugs.

While FDA scientists determined in 2023 that the drugs lack evidence of benefits and may pose safety risks, Kennedy is a self-professed "big fan" of the dubious drugs and has vowed to "end" FDA's "aggressive suppression" of them.

On Monday, the Food and Drug Administration updated its list of advisors who will review the peptides, adding nine new members—almost all of whom personally promote peptide use and/or have financial ties to wellness clinics that offer peptide treatments. The additions bring the total number of advisors to 13, making it easy for the new members to determine the outcome of upcoming meetings.

Read full article

Comments