Key facts
- Taylor Farms has recalled shredded iceberg lettuce products potentially linked to a multistate Cyclospora outbreak.
- The recalled lettuce was sourced from central Mexico and shipped to 27 U.S. states.
- U.S. health officials identified lettuce from a supplier in Mexico as a source of contamination affecting Taco Bell restaurants.
- The company has stopped sourcing lettuce from an implicated lot and is actively removing affected products.
- Sysco, a major food distributor, has halted distribution of the implicated lettuce and advised customers to destroy it.
Mexico's health and agricultural ministries are investigating a multistate cyclosporiasis outbreak in the U.S. linked to iceberg lettuce grown in the country and distributed to Taco Bell restaurants. Taylor Farms, a major producer, has initiated a voluntary recall of its shredded iceberg lettuce products sourced from central Mexico due to potential contamination with the parasite Cyclospora cayetanensis. The recall affects products shipped to 27 states, including Texas, Florida, Pennsylvania, Illinois, and New Jersey. U.S. health officials had previously identified lettuce from a Mexican supplier as a source of contamination affecting Taco Bell restaurants in five Midwestern states. Taylor Farms has stopped sourcing lettuce from an implicated lot and is actively removing the affected products. Sysco, the nation's largest food distributor, has halted distribution of all Taylor Farms iceberg lettuce products from Mexico and instructed customers to destroy them. Cyclospora is a microscopic parasite typically spread through contaminated food or water, causing intestinal illness. The current outbreak has seen a significant increase in cases compared to the previous year, with over 1,645 illnesses and 141 hospitalizations reported in 2026, compared to 249 cases at the same time last year.