The head of a major California produce company tied to a nationwide parasite outbreak is responding publicly after the business was named in a class-action lawsuit connected to the illness.
Federal health officials say the multi-state cyclosporiasis outbreak, now under investigation by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Food and Drug Administration, has been linked to iceberg lettuce from central Mexico that was recalled by Taylor Farms de Mexico.
Bruce Taylor, CEO of the Salinas-based produce company, addressed the situation after previously telling lawmakers he was frustrated that the company had been “excluded from the outbreak investigation process,” according to Forbes.
“Americans are afraid and avoiding healthy fresh food to their own detriment,” Taylor said.
The outbreak, which has affected thousands of people across the country, involves cyclospora infections linked to lettuce served at Taco Bell, the FDA disclosed on July 17.
In its update, the agency said its traceback review “identified convergence on a single supplier, Taylor Farms de Mexico,” which supplied shredded iceberg lettuce to Taco Bell restaurants where customers reported eating before becoming sick.
The FDA later noted that a lettuce sample connected to the produce company had produced a false positive result.
Still, the agency emphasized that the lab error did not alter the direction of its investigation. “To clarify, this false-positive lab sample DOES NOT change the basis for FDA’s ongoing outbreak investigation or the overwhelming epidemiological data supporting the current voluntary recall by Taylor Farms,” the FDA stated on its website.
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“FDA’s traceback investigation and outbreak data continue to converge on shredded iceberg lettuce from Taylor Farms from growers in central Mexico. We encourage the public to continue to avoid all products listed in Taylor Farms’ voluntary recall.”
Taco Bell removed affected Taylor Farms lettuce from its restaurants. Meanwhile, Taylor Farms issued an extensive voluntary recall list.
“When questions were raised about the source of the recent Cyclospora outbreak, we immediately removed all potentially implicated product from the marketplace, and out of an abundance of caution we issued an even broader recall of all iceberg lettuce sourced from the region,” a press release from Taylor Farms on Friday read.
“We have also voluntarily suspended all iceberg lettuce sourcing and production from central Mexico.”
The company said it has also commissioned independent experts to conduct a “top-to-bottom review of food safety processes and protocols in our central Mexico facility” and, as of July 18, they “temporarily suspended production of all products, not just iceberg lettuce.”
“We continue to work with health authorities, customers, and independent farming partners to address this issue,” per the update.
“According to the FDA, there are no confirmed positive sample results for product testing for Cyclospora as of July 24, 2026,” it added.
On July 23, two people filed a class-action lawsuit against Taylor Farms and Taco Bell alleging they were sold products from the fast-food chain that were later connected to the outbreak. They also claim they and others were served food that wasn’t fit for sale.
“Food that bears or contains a poisonous or deleterious substance, or that is prepared, packed, or held under insanitary conditions whereby it may have become contaminated, is adulterated under 21 U.S.C. § 342 and cannot lawfully enter commerce,” the suit said.
“Defendants nonetheless sold that lettuce to consumers as ordinary, wholesome food.”
