FDA Investigates Nine-State Cyclospora Outbreak Linked to Recalled Iceberg Lettuce

ByDental Info

The FDA says Taylor Farms de Mexico was the common supplier of shredded iceberg lettuce served at Taco Bell locations where people later became ill. The investigation remains ongoing, and no positive product sample had been confirmed as of July 19.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is investigating a Cyclospora illness outbreak spanning nine states after tracing shredded iceberg lettuce served at Taco Bell locations where people later became ill to a single supplier, Taylor Farms de Mexico.

Taylor Farms de Mexico announced a voluntary removal of iceberg lettuce sourced from central Mexico from the U.S. market on July 17, 2026. The action includes Marketside iceberg salad in 12-ounce and 24-ounce packages and shredded lettuce in 8-ounce and 16-ounce packages. The listed best-if-used-by dates run from July 18 through Aug. 3, 2026.

The recalled products were sold through Walmart and distributed to food-service customers nationwide, according to the FDA’s outbreak investigation. The agency has advised consumers not to eat the recalled lettuce.

What the FDA has traced

FDA traceback work identified Taylor Farms de Mexico as the common supplier of shredded iceberg lettuce used at Taco Bell locations where ill people had eaten. Traceback is a supply-chain finding; it identifies a shared source for the food under review but does not by itself establish that every product from the supplier was contaminated or that the lettuce definitively caused every reported illness.

The investigation concerns Cyclospora illnesses reported across nine states. The FDA has not provided a final total number of illnesses in the update, and the agency’s findings remain subject to additional investigation and testing.

Taylor Fresh Foods is also identified in the federal food-safety information associated with the recall. The public notices describe the products, supplier and distribution channels involved in the action, while the investigation continues to determine the scope of any additional products or locations that may require action.

Testing and consumer guidance

As of July 19, the FDA reported no confirmed positive product-test results for Cyclospora. State and federal partners were continuing to collect and analyze samples.

The absence of a confirmed positive product sample does not end the investigation. The agency’s traceback findings and the illnesses under review are being evaluated alongside laboratory testing and other information gathered by state and federal health officials.

Consumers who have lettuce matching the recalled descriptions and dates should not eat it. They should check the package size, product description and best-if-used-by date before using the lettuce. The FDA’s safety-information notices provide the active federal updates connected to the recall and outbreak investigation.

The recall matters beyond individual households because the products entered both retail and food-service channels. A product still in a refrigerator can present a separate consumer-safety question from lettuce that was served at a restaurant, while the distribution investigation may determine whether additional products, retailers or food-service locations need to take action.

What happens next

FDA and its state and federal partners are continuing to analyze samples and investigate the outbreak. The next significant developments are expected to include any confirmed product-test results, a clearer count of illnesses and a determination of whether the recall needs to expand.

For now, the agency’s public guidance is limited to the identified recalled lettuce: consumers should not eat it, and the investigation remains ongoing.

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