Taco Bell lettuce linked to cyclosporiasis cases in five states
CDC and FDA investigators traced illnesses to shredded iceberg lettuce from Mexico served at Taco Bell locations in parts of the Midwest and Appalachia.
By Hana Yoshida · Markets Reporter
3 min read
Federal health officials said shredded iceberg lettuce served at Taco Bell restaurants in five states has been identified as a source of a cyclosporiasis outbreak. The finding gives consumers in Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Ohio and West Virginia a specific product to avoid as officials track a wider rise in cases.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Food and Drug Administration said their traceback work pointed to iceberg lettuce imported from Mexico and supplied to Taco Bell restaurants where people who became ill had eaten. The agencies said consumers should avoid iceberg lettuce from Taco Bell locations in the five affected states.
Cyclosporiasis is a foodborne illness caused by the parasite Cyclospora. The illness can cause watery diarrhea, and federal officials have been monitoring cases across the country.
Traceback points to Mexican supplier
The CDC and FDA said investigators traced the lettuce to one supplier in Mexico. The agencies did not publicly identify that supplier.
The Washington Post, citing unnamed sources, reported that the supplier is Taylor Farms. Federal officials have not named Taylor Farms in their public announcement, according to the CDC and FDA information released Friday.
The current warning is limited to shredded iceberg lettuce served by Taco Bell in Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Ohio and West Virginia. The FDA and CDC said they have not linked shredded iceberg lettuce sold in grocery stores or served by other restaurants to the outbreak so far.
Taylor Farms was previously connected to a 2024 multistate E. coli outbreak involving contaminated onions served at McDonald’s and other fast-food restaurants, according to prior federal outbreak information. FDA inspectors found multiple violations at a Taylor Farms facility in Colorado during that earlier episode, according to FDA inspection findings cited in previous reports.
Cases reported across the country
The CDC said 1,645 laboratory-confirmed cyclosporiasis cases have been reported nationwide, including 141 hospitalizations. The agency said cases have been reported in 34 states, with multiple clusters and outbreaks under investigation.
State and local health departments have reported larger totals because some counts include probable cases as well as lab-confirmed infections, according to the CDC’s reporting framework. Michigan has reported one of the largest totals tied to the Taco Bell-linked outbreak.
Michigan health officials reported 5,002 cases as of July 17, along with 102 hospitalizations. The state is among the five where federal officials are telling consumers to avoid Taco Bell iceberg lettuce.
The CDC and FDA have not said that all national cases are tied to Taco Bell lettuce. Their warning identifies the lettuce served at Taco Bell restaurants in the five named states as a source in the ongoing investigation.
Consumers in those states who have Taco Bell shredded iceberg lettuce should not eat it, according to federal health officials. The agencies said their investigation is continuing as they assess reported illnesses and related food supply records.
This story draws on original reporting from Ars Technica.