FDA Finds Cyclospora in Taylor Farms Lettuce
Get the Health newsletter
Daily health & science — research, biotech, public health, the studies worth knowing. Free.
- FDA confirmed a sample of shredded iceberg lettuce from a Taylor Farms subsidiary in Mexico tested positive for cyclospora, the stomach parasite blamed for an outbreak of explosive diarrheal illness in several states.
- The positive test came from a product NOT included in current recalls, collected as part of an ongoing investigation; Taylor Farms is working to identify whether any part of the implicated lot is available in commerce or in consumers' homes, and FDA has detained the product.
- Taylor Farms de Mexico voluntarily removed iceberg lettuce sourced from central Mexico from the U.S. market, including Marketside-brand packages at Walmart: 12-oz and 24-oz Iceberg Salad and 8-oz and 16-oz Shredded Lettuce with best-by dates from 7/18/2026 to 8/3/2026.
- Taco Bell announced late this week it would remove lettuce from select stores after health officials linked the chain to the nationwide outbreak; Taylor Farms supplies produce to Taco Bell restaurants in several states.
- Some health experts caution there could be multiple sources of the cyclospora outbreak, complicating the assumption that Taylor Farms is the sole origin.
Why it matters: The positive sample came from a product outside the current recall, suggesting the Taylor Farms recall may need to expand to cover additional lots still potentially in stores or homes. With Walmart and Taco Bell already pulling lettuce and expert warnings of multiple sources, the outbreak's scope is broader than any single supplier.
