Iceberg lettuce served at Taco Bell in 5 states linked to Cyclospora outbreak, says FDA

Cyclospora
Foodborne Disease
Iceberg lettuce

arbyreed / Flickr cc

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced yesterday that it has narrowed down the source of the five-state Cyclospora outbreak to shredded iceberg lettuce served at Taco Bell restaurants in Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Ohio, and West Virginia. 

Michigan officials assessed 190 of the food exposures from Taco Bell and informed the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) of their results. The vast majority of the people, 90%, admitted to eating iceberg lettuce from one of the restaurants. The CDC used data from 1,644 people who had cyclosporiasis from May 13, 2026, to July 13, 2026, and visited a Taco Bell to pinpoint the source of the outbreak. 

California-based Taylor Farms said today in a statement, “Taylor Farms de Mexico is voluntarily removing all iceberg lettuce sourced from central Mexico from the U.S. market. While the FDA traceback is indicating a specific independent farm that represents less than 1% of the U.S.’s iceberg lettuce supply as the potential source of the outbreak, we have removed all iceberg lettuce from the region indefinitely."

Taylor Farms sells more than $7 billion in produce annually and makes more than 40% of salad kits available in the United States, according to the New York Times. 

In the past, Taylor Farms has been linked to other foodborne illness outbreaks, including when 631 people in 25 states became ill with cyclosporiasis after eating salad mix in 2013, according to NBC News. Two years ago, 104 people in 14 states contracted Escherichia coli after eating onions, which were connected to the company, on McDonald’s hamburgers. 

Cases top 5,000 in Michigan

The FDA discovered that the lettuce came from one supplier in Mexico and it is working with the company to determine if any contaminated lettuce remains on the market. The FDA also noted that Taco Bell agreed to pull lettuce from that supplier from its restaurants. 

While the FDA confirmed the shredded lettuce has been distributed in these five states, it is possible the lettuce was shipped to other locations, as well. Still, not every Taco Bell in these states received the tainted lettuce. 

If we try to avoid all of our exposures that could lead to an illness, we’re going to miss tremendous opportunities to enrich our diets and contribute to our overall health

Craig Hedberg, PhD

The Cyclospora outbreak hit Michigan and Ohio hard. As of today, officials have confirmed 5,002 cases, with 102 people hospitalized in Michigan, according to the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services. The Toledo-Lucas County Health Department reports 1,409 cases in northwest Ohio and 750 in Lucas County. These numbers far surpass the number of cases of cyclosporiasis in previous years. 

The CDC reports 1,644 confirmed cases of cyclosporiasis nationwide, with 94 hospitalizations. The difference in numbers can be attributed to a lag in reporting from the states to the federal level. 

What you should do 

People should skip the shredded iceberg lettuce at Taco Bells in Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Ohio, and West Virginia. 

People who have symptoms of cyclosporiasis, such as watery diarrhea, fatigue, fever, stomach cramps, nausea, vomiting, and bloating, should visit a doctor for testing to determine if they have cyclosporiasis and to receive care. There’s typically a one- to two-week delay between eating food contaminated with Cyclospora and developing symptoms. 

“There are antibiotic treatments for Cyclospora,” said Craig Hedberg, PhD, professor of environmental health sciences in the School of Public Health at the University of Minnesota. “That can be an important way of limiting the duration of the illness.” 

People who test positive for cyclosporiasis are added to the official numbers and should assist with the ongoing investigation if asked.  

“Those interviews do take some time, but again that’s the information we need,” said Hedberg. 

Most produce sold nationwide is safe to eat, so there’s no need for most people to eliminate fresh fruits and vegetables from their meals. 

“If we try to avoid all of our exposures that could lead to an illness, we’re going to miss tremendous opportunities to enrich our diets and contribute to our overall health,” Hedberg added. 

This week's top reads

  1. No link between MMR vaccination before age 2 and autism, large US study suggests

    The findings reinforce existing evidence of the safety of MMR vaccination, the authors say.

    Meghan Holohan

  2. Cyclospora infections increasing in 2 US outbreaks

    Cyclosporiasis cases in a second outbreak not connected to lettuce continue to climb nationwide.

    Meghan Holohan
    Man with upset stomach

  3. Over 400 state vaccine bills, 9 new laws, 2 fed charters, and 1 step closer to a CDC director: The State of US Vaccine Policy

    Only 9 of the 400 bills became law, and no state eliminated childhood immunization requirements.

    Izzy Brandstetter Figueroa, MPH, Riley Mulholland, MPH, Jess Steier, DrPH
    Sprinters on track

  4. Fauci invokes Fifth Amendment during congressional hearing

    The nation’s former top infectious disease expert refused to answer questions from Sen. Rand Paul and others who accused him of misleading the country about the origins of COVID.

    Chris Dall
    Anthony Fauci speaking at an NIH event

  5. After lab study finds interspecies spread of CWD prions, experts debate significance for humans

    The findings don’t confirm that the fatal disease is a threat to people but do offer important clues to what infection might look like in humans.

    Mary Van Beusekom
    Two macaques with baby

  6. Feds shut down ‘dangerous’ gain-of-function research, tighten oversight of foreign collaboration

    But some experts say it will impede the US’s ability to address infectious disease threats and respond to outbreaks.

    Mary Van Beusekom
    Biosafety lab worker

  7. Senator pushes to hold Fauci in contempt after he declined to answer COVID-related questions in hearing

    Some Republican committee members allege that Fauci had no right to invoke the Fifth Amendment, because a pardon protects him from criminal prosecution.

    Mary Van Beusekom

  8. COVID is still here. Is the pandemic?

    CIDRAP Director Michael Osterholm explains what makes a pandemic, if we’re still in one, and what gives a pathogen pandemic potential. 

    Laine Bergeson
    Michael Osterholm speaking on a panel

  9. Large US Cyclospora outbreak expands to 6 more states

    Although cases continue to mount, experts say it doesn’t necessarily mean that the outbreak is ongoing.

    Meghan Holohan
    Lettuce in a field

  10. Can air purifiers prevent flu and COVID-19 in nursing homes? Only if they’re used properly

    A randomized controlled trial found that air purifiers didn’t prevent respiratory infections in nursing homes. But experts say that’s because the machines were too small and not used consistently.

    Liz Szabo
    A woman with short gray hair sits on a chair with a book in her lap and points to a large air purifier next to her.

Our underwriters

Unrestricted financial support provided by

Unorthodox Philanthropy logo
Leading Underwriter
Albert Victor Ravenholt Fund
Supporting Underwriter
Become an Underwriter