In a statement released on Friday, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) said that an outbreak of cyclospora - a diarrheal disease - in at least two of the 16 affected states has apparently been caused a Mexican subsidiary of an American food-service company.

The FDA announcement came after a recent disclosure by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention that, as of Thursday, at least 400 cases of cyclospora infection had been reported in 16 states. The cyclospora outbreak – at least in Iowa and Nebraska – has been traced to Mexican produce supplier, Taylor Farms de Mexico.

According to the FDA, the outbreak of cyclospora in Iowa and Nebraska has been linked to a food service salad mix which Taylor Farms had sold to Olive Garden and Red Lobster restaurants. As per the Iowa and Nebraska state health officials, the cyclospora-causing salad mix contained iceberg and romaine lettuce, carrots and red cabbage.

Noting that a prepackaged salad mix was the source of the stomach bug, the Nebraska Department of Health said in a Tuesday announcement that 78 people in the state had reported fallen ill with the diarrheal disease since mid-June; while the Iowa Department of Health said at least 143 Iowans had contracted the disease.

Meanwhile, the FDA said in its statement that “it is not yet clear whether the cases reported from other states are all part of the same outbreak;” and added: “The investigation of increased cases of cyclosporiasis in other states continues."