CDC: Taco Bell Lettuce Source of Cyclospora Outbreak
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- CDC identified shredded iceberg lettuce from Mexico served at Taco Bell in Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Ohio, and West Virginia as a source of a widespread cyclospora outbreak now spanning more than 30 states
- FDA's traceback investigation identified Taylor Fresh Foods of Salinas, California as the supplier, with testing linking contamination to a specific independent farm affiliated with the company
- Taylor Fresh Foods voluntarily removed all iceberg lettuce sourced from central Mexico from the U.S. market and has been tied to past outbreaks including a 2013 cyclosporiasis outbreak and a 2024 E. coli outbreak linked to McDonald's onions
- Taco Bell committed to stop using any lettuce from the FDA-identified supplier and said the affected ingredient would be replaced within 24 hours in select states and removed nationwide indefinitely
- Michigan is reporting more than 5,000 cyclospora cases with over 100 hospitalizations, and more than 2,000 additional probable and suspected cases have been reported in other states, surpassing 2019's previous national record of about 4,700 cases
- Federal officials stressed that other restaurants, retailers, or distribution channels could be linked to the outbreak, noting Michigan investigators found many of the state's ill residents said they didn't eat at Taco Bell
Why it matters: With Michigan alone reporting 5,000+ cyclospora cases — surpassing 2019's national record of about 4,700 — the FDA's ongoing traceback is still working to determine whether additional retailers and restaurants received the contaminated Taylor Farms lettuce, as experts attribute rising cases to climate change and better detection.
