Gezondheid · FDA admits false test · ArchiefFDA Admits False Cyclospora Test; Thousands Sick as Outbreak Investigation ResetsGeschreven 7 september 2026 om 21:22 UTCKijkenTranscript0:00The FDA is walking back a major finding,0:02admitting a test result that triggered a0:04nationwide lettuce recall was a false0:06positive and issuing an apology to the0:07company involved. But the Cyclospora0:10outbreak that has sickened thousands is0:11very much real and investigators are0:13essentially back at square one.0:16On July 20th, the agency announced its0:18initial positive test for Cyclospora on0:21Taylor Farms iceberg lettuce was a false0:24positive caused by a PCR testing error.0:26The FDA formally apologized to Taylor0:29Farms. But here's what you need to know,0:31the outbreak itself is not a false0:32alarm. Taylor Farms voluntarily recalled0:35all iceberg lettuce from Central Mexico0:37after the initial finding.0:39That product reached 27 states including0:41Taco Bell locations in five states. The0:44map shows just some of those, Indiana,0:46Kentucky, Michigan, Ohio and West0:48Virginia. And the recall remains fully0:50in effect because the contamination0:52source has not been found.0:53Epidemiological traceback had converged0:55on Taylor Farms de Mexico prompting both0:58the recall and the initial FDA testing.1:00Now with that positive result withdrawn,1:02investigators are starting over. No1:04confirmed food source, no explanation1:06for how thousands of people got sick.1:08Here's how this unfolded. The outbreak1:10was first detected in May.1:12Epidemiological work pointed toward1:14Taylor Farms. The FDA reported a1:16positive test and the company recalled1:18product across two dozen states. Then1:20last week the agency walked it back, a1:22lab error. The investigation remains1:24open with no confirmed source. The FDA1:26has not identified where the1:27contamination actually originated and1:29the agency says it regrets the error.1:31But for the thousands of Americans sick1:33with Cyclospora since May, that apology1:35does not answer the central question.1:37What caused this outbreak? Rutgers food1:39science chair Donald Schaffner says this1:41kind of reset is unusual but underscores1:44a persistent challenge. PCR testing is1:46fast and sensitive but it can produce1:48false positives when not properly1:49confirmed. With no confirmed vehicle,1:52public health officials cannot tell1:53consumers what to avoid beyond the the1:55recall which may or may not be tied to1:57the actual source. The recall of Central1:59Mexico iceberg lettuce remains in place2:01across 27 states. The FDA says its2:03investigation is ongoing until a source2:05is confirmed. The question of what2:07sickened thousands of Americans has no2:09answer.Lees het artikelTijdlijn van het verhaalHeyDexDe korte video ↗
