Officials became convinced by FDA's findings and gave the agency the green light to make them public. Representatives for produce giant Taylor Farms contacted the White House with an urgent plea: the company wanted to delay announcing a recall tied to one of the largest foodborne illness outbreaks in U.S. history.

The call illustrates how one of the country's largest produce suppliers sought to limit its exposure to a public-relations nightmare while grappling with a costly and complicated recall. Over the past several weeks, health officials have been scrambling to contain the outbreak of cyclospora, which can cause explosive diarrhea. Some current and former government officials have criticized the handling of the outbreak, both by the administration and Taylor Farms.

Federal health authorities were preparing late last week to link Taylor Farms to a multistate parasitic infection that has sickened thousands. The company wanted to see more evidence. The White House asked FDA officials to join the call with Taylor Farms, which the government maintains is the source of the multistate outbreak.

During the discussion, Taylor Farms raised concerns that the government had no positive laboratory tests linking its product to the outbreak and that it was overstating the company's culpability, according to one of the people who was on the call.