Iceberg lettuce sold at Taco Bell linked to cyclospora outbreak
Shredded iceberg lettuce supplied by Taylor Farms and sold at some Taco Bell restaurants has been linked to a multi-state outbreak of cyclosporiasis, a source familiar with the investigation said Thursday.
Cases of the intestinal disease caused by a microscopic parasite are on the rise across the U.S., with nearly 7,000 cases confirmed or under investigation since May 1, according to data released Tuesday by the CDC. Confirmed cases alone are six times higher than this time last year, and at least 141 people are hospitalized.
However, the outbreak linked to lettuce is thought to be a regional outbreak centered in the Midwest.
The CDC has identified at least 400 cases associated with the outbreak in four states: Michigan, Ohio, West Virginia and Kentucky, and the source told CNN that Taco Bell’s affected locations are in those states. However, they noted that the products may have gone to other places.
The Michigan state health department reported more than 4,300 cases of cyclospora during the outbreak investigation. Michigan said it interviewed more than 1,000 people as part of the investigation and had previously noted that lettuce or salad greens could be a potential source of the outbreak.
The state health department said it “cannot say with certainty that every illness is linked to the same source of exposure,” but that the intense and sharp increase in cases “strongly indicates that the vast majority of these illnesses are associated with the same outbreak.” This would make it the largest cyclospora outbreak ever recorded in the United States.
“Based on ongoing discussions with public health officials and out of an abundance of caution, Taco Bell took immediate action to voluntarily remove potentially affected romaine from a supplier in certain states,” the company said in a statement Thursday. he said. “Affected content from our supplier is being removed from our nationwide supply chain indefinitely and will be replaced within 24 hours in select states.”
Taylor Farms did not respond to CNN’s request for comment Thursday.
Cyclosporiasis does not usually spread directly from person to person. Instead, people can become infected by consuming contaminated food or water. The CDC says previous outbreaks have been linked to fresh produce.
People with cyclosporiasis may experience symptoms such as watery diarrhea, cramps and bloating that last for weeks.
Federal health officials said multiple investigations are ongoing, some linked to a large outbreak in the Midwest, some involving single states and some involving cases not yet tied to any clusters.
Taylor Farms supplies grocery stores and restaurants across the country, but it’s unclear exactly how many of its products and which locations may be affected.
Taylor Farms’ products have also been linked to previous disease outbreaks. E. coli cases In 2024, it was tied to striped onions and cyclospora cases It was associated with lettuce in 2013.
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