Taylor Farms Cyclospora Outbreak Draws White House Involvement, Senate Record Request

A multistate cyclospora outbreak linked to iceberg lettuce processed by Taylor Farms has sickened nearly 20,000 people across 45 states and caused two deaths. The contaminated lettuce, harvested in central Mexico, was served at Taco Bell restaurants before a voluntary recall was issued on July 17, 2026.

Taylor Farms contacted the White House seeking more time before the recall was announced, prompting White House officials to involve the FDA in a conference call—an action former FDA commissioner Dr. Scott Gottlieb described as “not standard operating procedure.”

Senator Richard Blumenthal has written to the Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations requesting all records of Taylor Farms’ communications with the White House and the FDA, as well as documents on the company’s influence over food‑safety staffing and program cuts.