Taylor Farms Recalls Lettuce in Record US Parasite Outbreak
Taylor Farms is recalling iceberg lettuce grown in central Mexico. The California company is one of the largest salad greens producers in the US.
The recall follows an outbreak of cyclospora linked to its lettuce. Cyclospora is a parasite that causes diarrhea.
The CDC confirmed the outbreak source late Thursday. The CDC and FDA traced the outbreak to lettuce served at Taco Bell restaurants.
The lettuce was served in five US states. Health officials warned people not to eat shredded iceberg lettuce from Taco Bell in Indiana Kentucky Michigan Ohio and West Virginia.
An FDA investigation found Taylor Farms was the only supplier of the lettuce. In response Taco Bell and food distributor Sysco pulled Taylor Farms lettuce from their supply chains.
As of July 17 2026 the CDC had confirmed 1644 cases and 94 hospitalizations. The cases span 34 states.
Health officials are checking thousands more possible cases. This is described as the largest cyclospora outbreak ever recorded in the US.
No formal nationwide recall has been issued yet. The FDA is still checking if the supplier sent the lettuce to more places.
Key Terms 4
- Cyclospora A tiny parasite that causes diarrhea when eaten in contaminated food.
- CDC US agency that tracks disease outbreaks and public health risks.
- FDA US agency that oversees food safety and drug approval.
- Sysco A large company that delivers food to restaurants across the US.