Taylor Farms moved Friday to address the growing Cyclospora outbreak, saying it is voluntarily pulling iceberg lettuce grown in central Mexico from the U.S. marketplace. According to Reuters, a person familiar with the matter said the produce supplier notified customers including Taco Bell parent company Yum Brands and food distributor Sysco on Thursday to stop distributing shredded lettuce that had originated as 5-pound bags processed at a facility in Guanajuato, Mexico.
Taco Bell said Thursday that the supplier ingredient linked to the concern was being removed from its nationwide supply chain for an indefinite period, with replacements expected within 24 hours in certain states.
Cyclospora is a parasite that affects the small intestine and can take roughly one to two weeks to produce symptoms after exposure. Illness can include watery diarrhea and frequent bowel movements, along with vomiting, body aches, headaches, mild fever and other flu-like symptoms. The infection can also appear to improve before returning, sometimes more than once.
As The Verge reported earlier this week, investigators have not connected every reported illness to Taco Bell. Taylor Farms is also a major force in the produce industry, previously saying it sells more than $7 billion worth of produce annually and produces two out of every five salad kits found in grocery stores. Its brand name, however, is often not visible on those products. While health officials continue to determine the full scope of the Cyclospora outbreak, the CDC has said it is also reviewing illnesses and separate outbreaks in other states that do not appear to be related.
Taylor Farms de Mexico said that, following information shared by the FDA, it is voluntarily taking all central Mexico-sourced iceberg lettuce out of the U.S. market.
Although the FDA’s traceback work has pointed to one specific independent farm — representing less than 1 percent of the U.S. iceberg lettuce supply — as a possible source of the outbreak, the company said it has removed iceberg lettuce from the entire region indefinitely.
Health officials have not yet named additional companies or products that consumers should avoid. ProPublica reporter Annie Waldman noted that the traceback investigation is unfolding after more than 240 consumer safety specialists departed amid Trump administration cuts to federal health agencies. The CDC also reduced the scope of its Foodborne Diseases Active Surveillance Network, known as FoodNet, which had operated with 10 states.
The Washington Post also reported that, several months ago, the FDA delayed the compliance deadline for its Food Traceability Final Rule — formally the Requirements for Additional Traceability Records for Certain Foods — from January 20, 2026, to July 20, 2028. The rule would require more standardized records for foods and shipments, a system that could have helped regulators identify the “specific independent farm” tied to the outbreak more quickly.
This all follows statements from the CDC and FDA saying the “explosive diarrhea parasite” outbreak has been linked to shredded iceberg lettuce served at Taco Bell locations across five states: Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Ohio, and West Virginia. In Michigan alone, there are over 5,000 reported cases, with 102 reports of hospitalization.
According to the FDA, “FDA and state partners are actively investigating the source and scope of the contamination. Because the investigation remains ongoing, additional implicated brands, restaurants, retailers, or distribution channels may be identified as the investigation continues.”
