A parasite that causes prolonged bouts of watery diarrhea has been spreading across parts of the Midwest, sickening more than 1,600 people and sending dozens to hospitals.
In the most recent update from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the illnesses have now been linked to shredded iceberg lettuce served at Taco Bell restaurants.
This update has turned what began as a public-health investigation into a major food-supply problem for one of the country’s largest fast-food chains.
Cyclospora is a microscopic parasite that can contaminate food or water through contact with fecal matter.
Unlike some common stomach illnesses that pass within a few days, cyclospora infections can cause symptoms that last for weeks or even longer.
The most common symptom is frequent, watery diarrhea.
People may also experience stomach cramps, bloating, nausea, fatigue, weight loss, vomiting, body aches, headaches, and fever.
Symptoms can improve over time, but also return if the infection is not treated.
So far, the FDA has connected 1,644 illnesses to shredded iceberg lettuce from Mexico served at Taco Bell restaurants in Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Ohio, and West Virginia.
At least 94 people have been hospitalized, but no deaths have been reported.
Illnesses began between May 13 and July 13, according to the FDA.
Now the produce company identified as Taco Bell’s lettuce supplier is taking broader action.
Taylor Farms said July 17 that its Mexican operation is voluntarily removing all iceberg lettuce sourced from central Mexico from the U.S. market.
Taylor Farms pulls Mexican iceberg lettuce amid cyclospora outbreak
Taylor Farms said the FDA’s traceback investigation identified a specific independent farm in central Mexico as the potential source of the outbreak.
The farm accounts for less than 1% of the iceberg lettuce supplied in the U.S., according to the company.
More Recalls:
- FDA recall hits 2.5 million bottles of widely used eye drops
- Massive cottage cheese recall expands after 1 death, 12 illnesses
- Popular dog food brand recalled over dangerous material
Still, Taylor Farms said it is indefinitely removing all iceberg lettuce sourced from the region, rather than limiting the action to the individual farm under investigation.
“As a family-owned company, we are deeply concerned for those who became ill, their families, and the Americans whose trust in the safety of fresh produce has been shaken,” Taylor Farms said.
The FDA has not named Taylor Farms on its public outbreak page.
However, news organizations, including The Wall Street Journal, citing people familiar with the investigation, identified Taylor Farms as the supplier of the shredded lettuce served at affected Taco Bell restaurants.
Investigators reviewed food histories from people who reported eating at Taco Bell before becoming sick.
Of 190 patients included in the ingredient-level analysis, 90% reported eating iceberg lettuce.
The FDA’s traceback investigation then converged on one supplier of Mexican iceberg lettuce used at restaurants where customers later became ill.
Federal and state officials have begun collecting samples for testing. The FDA has also increased border screening for products implicated in the investigation.
Taco Bell removes supplier’s lettuce nationwide
Taco Bell had already begun removing potentially affected lettuce from restaurants in select states after consulting public-health officials.
The chain then expanded that response by indefinitely removing the ingredient from the supplier across its nationwide supply chain.
“The affected ingredient from our supplier is being indefinitely removed from our supply chain nationwide and will be replaced within 24 hours in select states,” Taco Bell said.
The FDA said Taco Bell committed to stopping the use of any lettuce from the supplier identified in the traceback investigation.
But the agency also warned that additional states, restaurant chains, retailers, brands, or distribution channels could be identified as the investigation continues.
Taylor Farms addresses packaged salad concerns
The supplier’s name has caused anxiety beyond Taco Bell, as Taylor Farms has a large presence in both the restaurant and grocery industries.
Taylor Farms operates across retail, food-service, and prepared-food or deli businesses.
The company website says it has 22 production locations across North America, more than 24,000 employees, and supplies over 265 million servings of fresh food every week.
It also says it makes two out of every five value-added salads sold in the U.S.
Taylor Farms grows about one-quarter of its vegetables and obtains the rest through partnerships with 280 family-owned farms.
It also works with more than 800 ingredient suppliers.
The company produces whole vegetables, washed and cut produce, salad kits, snack products, and ready-to-eat meals.
It also manufactures private-label foods that may be sold under retailers’ or other businesses’ names.
Its known business relationships include Walmart, which named Taylor Farms its Food Supplier of the Year in 2022, and Gordon Food Service, a major distributor serving restaurants and institutional customers.
However, the size of the company’s network does not mean all Taylor Farms products or customers are connected to the outbreak.
Taylor Farms said none of its branded salads or salad kits are associated with the current illnesses.
The company also said its branded salad kits do not contain iceberg lettuce.
That distinction is important because consumers have questioned online whether they should discard Taylor Farms salad kits and other packaged products unrelated to Taco Bell.
The FDA has not issued a blanket warning covering every Taylor Farms item, every packaged salad, or all iceberg lettuce sold nationwide.
Taylor Farms was also tied to McDonald’s E.coli outbreak
The Taco Bell investigation is the second major fast-food outbreak in less than two years involving produce supplied by Taylor Farms.
In October 2024, an E. coli outbreak was linked to slivered onions served on McDonald’s Quarter Pounders.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention identified Taylor Farms as the supplier of onions sent to the affected McDonald’s restaurants.
The outbreak ultimately sickened 104 people across 14 states, and 34 people were hospitalized, while one person died.
At the time, McDonald’s temporarily removed Quarter Pounders from restaurants in affected markets, then returned them without slivered onions.
The outbreak also weighed on customer traffic and contributed to weaker U.S. comparable sales at McDonald’s during the quarter.
“The E.coli outbreak from the Quarter Pounder, which led to a temporary menu removal and a decline in visits, continues to have a lingering negative impact on sales,” read the company report.
This underscores how quickly a problem involving a single ingredient can become a financial and reputational threat for a national restaurant chain.
Taco Bell may now face the same challenge, although there is no evidence yet showing that the cyclospora outbreak has reduced its sales.
The chain’s decision to remove the supplier’s lettuce nationwide could help contain the damage, especially if federal officials do not connect the product to additional restaurants or states.
What to avoid in parasitic diarrhea outbreak
The FDA advises consumers not to eat food containing shredded iceberg lettuce from Mexico served at Taco Bell restaurants in Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Ohio, and West Virginia.
Consumers outside those five states have not been advised to avoid Taco Bell lettuce.
Anyone who purchased affected Taco Bell food should clean and sanitize any containers or surfaces that may have come into contact with the lettuce.
People who experience frequent watery diarrhea or other symptoms after eating Taco Bell lettuce in one of the five states should contact a health care provider.
Cyclospora infections can be treated with prescription medication, but untreated illnesses may persist for weeks and can lead to dehydration.
People with weakened immune systems may face a greater risk of prolonged or serious illness.
The FDA’s investigation remains ongoing, meaning the list of affected businesses, products, and states could still expand.
Related: 105-year-old historic hotel by national park files for Chapter 11 bankruptcy