Lettuce from Mexico at Taco Bell linked to cyclospora cases in five states
The CDC warned customers in five states not to eat shredded iceberg lettuce from Taco Bell as federal officials investigate a cyclospora outbreak.
By Maya Lindqvist · Senior Technology Correspondent
3 min read
Federal health officials have linked shredded iceberg lettuce from Mexico served at Taco Bell restaurants in five states to a cyclospora outbreak that causes severe diarrhea. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said late Thursday that customers should avoid shredded iceberg lettuce from Taco Bell locations in Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Ohio and West Virginia.
The warning comes during a broad multistate investigation into cyclospora infections. The CDC said more than 30 states have reported cases this year, and current state data show infections have exceeded the previous U.S. record of about 4,700 cases set in 2019.
The Food and Drug Administration traced the lettuce to one supplier, according to federal health officials. The CDC and FDA did not name the company in public warnings, but a federal official briefed on the investigation told The Associated Press that the supplier was Taylor Farms, based in Salinas, California. The official was not authorized to discuss the matter publicly.
Taylor Farms did not immediately respond to a request for comment, according to the AP. The company has previously been tied to foodborne illness investigations, including a 2013 cyclosporiasis outbreak linked to salad mix and a 2024 E. coli outbreak connected to onions served at McDonald’s, the AP reported.
The CDC said the FDA is working with the lettuce supplier to find out whether any potentially contaminated shredded iceberg lettuce is still being sold, including outside the five states named in the warning. The agency said Taco Bell agreed to stop using lettuce from the supplier identified in the FDA traceback investigation.
Federal health officials also said the inquiry is continuing and could identify other brands, restaurants, retailers or distribution routes. The CDC, FDA and state public health agencies are investigating the outbreak together.
Taco Bell said Tuesday, before federal officials confirmed the lettuce link, that it had temporarily removed some ingredients from selected restaurants as a precaution. The company said it would keep monitoring the situation and follow public health guidance.
According to the CDC, cyclospora is a microscopic parasite that infects the intestines and often causes watery diarrhea with frequent bowel movements. The illness, called cyclosporiasis, is usually treated with antibiotics and is not typically life-threatening, federal health officials said.
The CDC says cyclospora outbreaks most often occur in late spring and summer. The parasite spreads through feces, and past infections have been linked to fruits and vegetables exposed to contaminated irrigation water, according to federal health officials.
Cyclosporiasis is reported less often than foodborne illnesses caused by germs such as salmonella and E. coli, according to public health experts cited by the AP. Experts said many cyclospora cases have historically gone undetected because some common food poisoning tests were not designed to find the parasite. They have linked the rise in reported cases over the past decade to improved detection and climate change.
This story draws on original reporting from Fortune.