Key facts
- Taylor Farms recalled 236,192 cases of lettuce due to potential Cyclospora contamination.
- Just under 2.5% of the recalled lettuce was sold to Taco Bell.
- Walmart's Marketside brand received over 46% of the recalled lettuce.
- The FDA report identified specific quantities distributed to various retailers and food service companies.
- The outbreak has sickened over 23,000 people across 47 states.
A Food and Drug Administration (FDA) report has clarified the distribution of lettuce recalled by Taylor Farms due to potential Cyclospora contamination, revealing that Taco Bell received less than 2.5% of the affected product. The outbreak has led to over 23,000 illnesses across 47 states, with two reported deaths and over 500 hospitalizations.
Taylor Farms recalled a total of 236,192 cases of lettuce. Of this amount, only 5,900 cases, or approximately 2.5%, were sold to Yum, the parent company of Taco Bell. The majority of the recalled lettuce was distributed elsewhere, with Walmart's Marketside brand receiving the largest share at 109,476 cases, representing over 46% of the total recall. Taylor Farms' own brand received 68,897 cases, accounting for nearly 30% of the recalled product.
Other significant recipients included Cross Valley Farms (8%), Sysco (4.9%), Markon (3.15%), and Peak Fresh Produce (0.3%). Restaurant chains Subway received 8,075 cases (3.4%), and Jack in the Box received 5,130 cases (about 2.2%).
The FDA's Enforcement Report provided more granular detail than Taylor Farms' initial recall notice, which used abbreviations and lacked quantity information. It remains unclear why Taylor Farms did not publicly emphasize that the bulk of the recalled lettuce was distributed to Walmart. Furthermore, the ultimate destinations of the lettuce distributed to food service companies are not fully detailed, and it is uncertain if these distributors sent the product to states not listed in Taylor Farms' recall notice.