Salad Mix from Mexican Farm Linked with Stomach Illness Across Iowa and Nebraska

A Mexican farm is linked to the cases of diarrhea in Iowa and Nebraska, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration said.

According to the agency, test results showed that the salad mix that has been linked with the outbreak of cyclosporiasis outbreak was produced at Taylor Farms de Mexico.

At least 400 people are now infected with cyclosporiasis in 16 states in the U.S., according to latest reports from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Health investigators in Iowa and Nebraska had earlier suspected that the salad mix was the major cause of the infections.

FDA has now confirmed that the mix was produced at Taylor Farms de Mexico, which is a subsidiary of Taylor Farms of Salinas, Calif.

"The FDA traceback investigation found that illness clusters at restaurants were traced to a common supplier, Taylor Farms de Mexico, S. de R.L. de C.V. The restaurants in Iowa and Nebraska include Olive Garden and Red Lobster, both of which are owned by Darden Restaurants," the agency said in a news release.

FDA and Taylor Farms will now be conducting an inspection of the processing unit in Mexico to determine the cause of the exposure and will implement preventive measures to reduce the risk of a future outbreak.

"The Mexico facility is state of the art and has an exceptional food safety record including an exceptional facility audit in 2011 by the FDA. The company is also working with the FDA on an environmental facility assessment of Taylor Farms de Mexico and is cooperating with the FDA in their ongoing investigation," Taylor Farm said in a statement.

The following states have been affected by the outbreak; Iowa (146), Texas (113), Nebraska (81), Florida (25), Wisconsin (9), New York City (5), Georgia (4), Illinois (4), Arkansas (2), Kansas (2), Louisiana(2), Missouri (2), Connecticut (1), Minnesota (1), New Jersey (1), New York (1), and Ohio (1), CDC said.