Taylor Farms lettuce recall amid cyclospora outbreak linked to Taco Bell
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration traced a multistate cyclosporiasis (cyclospora) outbreak to shredded iceberg lettuce supplied by Taylor Farms de Mexico. The contaminated lettuce was served at Taco Bell restaurants in Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Ohio and West Virginia, leading to 1,644 confirmed cases and 94 hospitalizations, with no deaths reported. State health officials, including Michigan, have recorded over 6,000 cases and 102 hospitalizations.
Taylor Farms issued a voluntary recall of all iceberg lettuce grown in central Mexico, affecting 27 states and products sold under brands such as Walmart’s Marketside. The recall includes shredded and bagged lettuce sold to food‑service distributors and retailers. Although a laboratory sample initially tested positive for cyclospora, the FDA later re‑reviewed the result and declared it a false positive; the agency emphasized that the recall remains unchanged because epidemiological evidence still points to the supplier.
Consumers are advised to discard any recalled lettuce and retailers have removed the items from shelves. The outbreak has caused a noticeable dip in foot traffic at Taco Bell locations and heightened scrutiny of fresh produce safety nationwide.