Donald Prater, acting deputy commissioner for food at the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), said on Monday at the International Association for Food Protection annual meeting that the "U.S. food supply is safe," despite the ongoing cyclospora outbreak linked to lettuce sourced from Taylor Farms.
"It will take a little time. But we do believe we’re taking action and we’re protecting public health," Prater added.
According to the most recent update from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), there are potentially more than 11,000 domestic cyclosporiasis cases — 4,173 laboratory-confirmed cases and over 7,400 more cases that have yet to be confirmed.
Rep. Robert Garcia (D-Calif.), ranking member of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, questioned Taylor Farms CEO Bruce Taylor in a letter on whether he influenced the FDA's investigation into the outbreak.
"Evidence points to Taylor Farms products as a source of the outbreak, but reports indicate that your company may have attempted to influence the ongoing Food and Drug Administration (FDA) investigation into the matter, obfuscate Taylor Farms’ role in a public health crisis, and mislead consumers trying to keep their families safe,” Garcia wrote.
Polling released on Sunday found that 40 percent of U.S. adults are buying or eating less produce after the cyclospora outbreak while 56 percent said there has been no change in their diet.
