Taylor Farms Voluntarily Removes Iceberg Lettuce from US Market Amid Cyclosporiasis Outbreak

Food producer Taylor Farms issued a statement Friday confirming it is voluntarily removing all iceberg lettuce sourced from central Mexico from the US market due to a Cyclospora outbreak. Reuters reported that, according to a source, Taylor Farms told customers including Yum Brands-owned Taco Bell and distributor Sysco on Thursday to pull shredded lettuce that had been initially produced in 5-pound bags at a facility in Guanajuato, Mexico, from distribution.

Taco Bell announced Thursday that the affected ingredient is being indefinitely removed from its supply chain nationwide and will be replaced within 24 hours in select states.

The Cyclospora parasite infects the human small intestine, with an incubation period of one to two weeks, causing symptoms such as watery diarrhea, vomiting, body aches, headache, low-grade fever, and other flu-like symptoms that may subside and then recur.

Not all reported cases have been linked to Taco Bell. Taylor Farms is a major producer, selling over $7 billion in produce annually and manufacturing two out of every five salad kits sold in grocery stores, though its name doesn't appear on most items. The CDC is also investigating illnesses in other states unrelated to this outbreak.

The FDA's traceback indicates a specific independent farm representing less than 1% of the US iceberg lettuce supply as the potential source. Taylor Farms has removed all iceberg lettuce from the region indefinitely.

Tracing efforts have been hampered by the loss of over 240 consumer safety specialists due to Trump administration budget cuts to federal health agencies, and the CDC scaled back its FoodNet program. Additionally, the FDA recently postponed the compliance deadline for its Food Traceability Final Rule from January 2026 to July 2028, which could have helped identify the source more quickly.

The CDC and FDA have linked the outbreak to shredded iceberg lettuce served at Taco Bell in five states: Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Ohio, and West Virginia. In Michigan alone, over 5,000 cases have been reported, including 102 hospitalizations. The FDA stated that the investigation is ongoing and may identify other brands, restaurants, or distributors.