Lead

Federal health officials have identified shredded iceberg lettuce served at Taco Bell restaurants in five US states as a source of a widespread outbreak of cyclosporiasis, a parasitic infection that causes severe diarrhea. The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) issued a warning on Thursday evening, urging consumers not to eat shredded iceberg lettuce from Taco Bell locations in Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Ohio, and West Virginia.

The CDC says 1,645 people in the five states who reported exposure to Taco Bell have been infected with cyclosporiasis. At least 94 people have been hospitalized, and no deaths have been reported. The infections were first detected on May 13, according to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

Coverage Comparison

The announcement triggered coordinated responses from federal agencies, the fast-food chain, and its lettuce supplier. The CDC confirmed the source and advised against consuming the implicated lettuce, while Taco Bell said it had voluntarily removed affected lettuce from its restaurants as a precautionary measure. The FDA's traceback investigation identified a single supplier, and federal warnings did not name the company initially.

Independent of the federal warnings, Taylor Fresh Foods, of Salinas, California, said FDA testing indicated that a specific independent farm in Mexico affiliated with the company appeared to be the source. The company announced on Friday that it was voluntarily removing all iceberg lettuce sourced from central Mexico from the US market and issued a list of affected products. A sample of iceberg lettuce from Taylor Farms tested positive for the parasite, according to the FDA, which noted that the sample was taken from a product not part of the company's current recall. Taylor Farms confirmed that the positive product was not part of the recall and said it was working to determine whether any part of the implicated lot was available in commerce or in consumers' homes.

Taco Bell, which had earlier said it was removing lettuce from its menu in some states following discussions with health officials, said it had completed the removal of affected Taylor Farms lettuce from its restaurants. The company did not identify which states were affected, but most infections have been reported in Michigan, where more than 3,300 cases have been detected.

Key Claims

  • Federal health officials have identified lettuce from Mexico served by Taco Bell as a source of the outbreak, with the CDC warning consumers not to eat shredded iceberg lettuce from Taco Bell in Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Ohio, and West Virginia.
  • A sample of iceberg lettuce from Taylor Farms tested positive for the cyclospora parasite; the FDA said the sample came from a product not part of the current recall.
  • Taylor Farms is voluntarily removing all iceberg lettuce from the US market sourced from central Mexico.
  • At least 94 people have been hospitalized due to cyclosporiasis infections; no deaths have been reported.
  • Symptoms of the foodborne illness can take up to two weeks to present and include watery diarrhea lasting for days, sudden weight loss, and loss of appetite.
  • The CDC reports 1,645 infections in five states. More than 30 states have reported infections this year, and the number of cases has surpassed the previous US record of about 4,700 set in 2019.
  • Experts attribute the increasing trend in cases to climate change and better detection, though not every illness is likely to have been caused by a single source.
  • Taylor Farms has been tied to foodborne outbreaks in the past, including a 2013 cyclosporiasis outbreak linked to salad mix and a 2024 E. coli outbreak tied to onions served at McDonald's.

Perspectives

Federal Health Officials (CDC and FDA)

The CDC and FDA have identified shredded iceberg lettuce from Taco Bell as a source of the outbreak and issued a consumer warning against eating it in the five affected states. The FDA is working with the supplier to determine whether potentially contaminated lettuce remains on the market, and Taco Bell has committed to stop using lettuce from the identified supplier.

Taco Bell

Taco Bell said it removed affected lettuce from its restaurants "out of an abundance of caution" and completed the removal of Taylor Farms lettuce. The company emphasized that "public health is a shared responsibility among restaurants, their suppliers, and authorities."

Taylor Farms

Taylor Farms said it was voluntarily removing all iceberg lettuce sourced from central Mexico from the US market. The company expressed concern for those who became ill and their families, and noted that FDA testing indicated a specific independent farm in Mexico affiliated with the company appeared to be the problem.