Federal health investigators have identified shredded iceberg lettuce supplied by Taylor Farms to Taco Bell restaurants as a likely source in a rapidly growing multistate outbreak of cyclosporiasis, a parasitic intestinal illness that causes weeks of severe diarrhea, according to sources familiar with the investigation.
The Scale of the Outbreak
Nationwide, nearly 7,000 cyclosporiasis cases are confirmed or under investigation since May 1, according to CDC data published this week — more than six times higher than confirmed case counts at this point last year. As of the latest CDC figures, 1,645 cases have been confirmed across 34 states, with more than 5,100 additional cases still under investigation and at least 141 hospitalizations reported. No deaths have been reported. The CDC has specifically identified at least 400 cases tied to the regional outbreak linked to the lettuce, spanning four Midwestern states: Michigan, Ohio, West Virginia, and Kentucky. Michigan has been hit hardest by far, with the state's own health department reporting 4,312 cases as of Thursday — a considerably higher figure than the CDC's national tally, which officials attribute to a roughly six-week reporting lag between illness onset and case confirmation.
How Investigators Traced the Source
According to a source familiar with the investigation, a very high percentage of people who fell ill had eaten at Taco Bell, and when investigators asked about common menu items, lettuce came up repeatedly. When the FDA asked the company where it sourced its lettuce, the answer was Taylor Farms — not just for Taco Bell locations in Michigan, but for restaurants across all four affected states. A separate CBS News source specified the lettuce traced back to a Taylor Farms iceberg lettuce supply from Mexico used at Taco Bell locations across five states. Michigan health officials, who have interviewed more than 1,000 patients, have identified leafy lettuce as the leading suspected source based on that interview data. Taylor Farms, based in Salinas, California, describes itself as one of the leading global producers of salads and fresh foods, with production facilities across the U.S., Canada, Mexico, and Western Europe.
Taco Bell's Response
Taco Bell confirmed Thursday it had taken action in response to the investigation. "Based on ongoing conversations with public health officials, and out of an abundance of caution, Taco Bell has taken immediate action to voluntarily remove potentially impacted lettuce from a supplier in select states," the company said in a statement, adding that "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." Notices posted at some Detroit-area Taco Bell locations earlier in the outbreak informed customers the chain was temporarily unable to sell lettuce, cilantro, onion, pico de gallo, and guacamole due to a nationwide recall. The company has stressed that "public health officials have not confirmed a link to Taco Bell or any specific ingredient, supplier, restaurant or retailer," even as it continues removing the flagged ingredient as a precaution.
Not the First Time for Taylor Farms
This is not the first time Taylor Farms has been connected to a cyclosporiasis outbreak. The company has previously been linked to earlier outbreaks tied to bagged salad products, and a prior FDA investigation identified its Mexican subsidiary, Taylor Farms de Mexico, as the supplier behind an earlier Cyclospora cluster affecting restaurant chains including Olive Garden and Red Lobster. Beyond leafy greens, past U.S. and Canadian cyclosporiasis outbreaks have also been linked to other fresh produce, including cilantro, basil, raspberries, snow peas, and green onions, according to Michigan health officials.
About the Illness
Cyclosporiasis is caused by a microscopic parasite and spreads when food or water becomes contaminated with infected fecal matter — it is not typically spread directly person-to-person. Symptoms usually begin about a week after infection and can include watery diarrhea, bloating, cramping, nausea, loss of appetite, weight loss, and fatigue, often persisting for two days to two weeks or longer if untreated. Infectious disease experts recommend cooking food when possible and thoroughly washing or scrubbing fresh produce as key prevention steps, since cooking is generally the most reliable way to eliminate the parasite.
A Broader Concern About Outbreak Tracking
The outbreak has also drawn scrutiny toward changes in federal surveillance capacity. The CDC has faced criticism after scaling down a federal program that previously required 10 participating states to monitor cyclospora specifically. The Trump administration has said federal tracking of the illness did not cease as a result of the changes, but public health experts have warned that reduced monitoring requirements could make it harder for investigators to identify and trace foodborne illness outbreaks going forward — a concern that adds context to how quickly this particular outbreak has grown before a common source was identified.
What's Next
The CDC has said that "a specific food item has not been confirmed" as the definitive source of the outbreak, and investigators continue interviewing affected patients to narrow down the connection further. With case counts still climbing and a six-week reporting lag built into the data, health officials expect the confirmed case count to continue rising even as Taco Bell and Taylor Farms cooperate with the ongoing FDA and CDC investigation.