Shoppers across New Jersey are being urged to check their refrigerators after Walmart removed several packaged salad products from store shelves as a precaution during an ongoing investigation into a multistate Cyclospora outbreak.
The recalled products include select Marketside bagged salads supplied by Taylor Farms. Although the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) later said an initial positive laboratory test was determined to be a false positive, the voluntary recall remains in effect while investigators continue tracing the source of the outbreak.
Despite the false positive, the broader outbreak remains serious — more than 1,600 people have been sickened nationwide, and the recalled lettuce has also been linked to cases at Taco Bell locations in several states. Donald Schaffner, a food science professor at Rutgers University, told NBC News that testing for Cyclospora is notoriously difficult and false positives are always possible — but that the recall was still “the right thing to do” regardless of the lab results.
What Is Cyclospora?
Cyclospora is a microscopic parasite that causes an intestinal illness known as cyclosporiasis. People usually become infected after eating food or drinking water contaminated with the parasite.
Symptoms may appear about a week after exposure and can include:
- Watery diarrhea
- Stomach cramps
- Nausea
- Loss of appetite
- Fatigue
- Low-grade fever
Without treatment, symptoms can last for several weeks or even longer.
What Should Consumers Do?
If you purchased one of the recalled salad products:
- Do not eat it.
- Throw it away or return it to Walmart for a refund.
- If you develop symptoms after eating the product, contact your healthcare provider, especially if diarrhea is severe or persistent.
Is New Jersey Affected?
The recalled Marketside salads were sold through Walmart stores in multiple states, including New Jersey, as part of the nationwide recall. While no illnesses have been specifically linked to the recalled Walmart products, federal and state health officials continue investigating a broader Cyclospora outbreak that has sickened people across the United States.
Health officials stress that the recall is precautionary, but consumers should still check any packaged salad products they recently purchased and follow recall instructions if their items are included. The investigation remains ongoing, and additional updates may follow as more information becomes available.
Sources: FDA, CDC, Walmart, Associated Press.