WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. health officials have linked a multistate cyclosporiasis outbreak to shredded iceberg lettuce from Taylor Farms de Mexico served at Taco Bell locations in five states, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Food and Drug Administration.
The CDC and FDA said the outbreak has sickened more than 1,644 people in Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Ohio and West Virginia, with 94 hospitalizations and no reported deaths. Illnesses began between May 13 and July 13, 2026, and the investigation remains open.
The FDA’s traceback investigation identified a single supplier, Taylor Farms de Mexico, as the source of shredded iceberg lettuce used by Taco Bell restaurants where affected customers reported eating before becoming ill. Taylor Farms de Mexico has voluntarily removed all iceberg lettuce sourced from central Mexico from the U.S. market and informed the FDA that it would initiate a recall.
The federal advisory currently applies to shredded iceberg lettuce served at Taco Bell locations in Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Ohio and West Virginia. The FDA said not all Taco Bell locations in those states received the implicated product, and additional states, restaurants, retailers or distribution channels could be identified as the investigation continues.
Lettuce Emerges as the Key Ingredient
Investigators focused on Taco Bell after state and federal health officials found a common pattern among patients. Michigan health officials reviewed detailed food histories from 190 people who reported eating at Taco Bell, and ingredient-level analysis showed that 90 percent of those interviewed had eaten iceberg lettuce.
The CDC is advising consumers not to eat food items containing shredded iceberg lettuce from Taylor Farms de Mexico served at Taco Bell locations in the five affected states. Taco Bell has committed to stop using lettuce from the supplier identified in the FDA’s traceback investigation.
The FDA has also increased border screening for products implicated in the outbreak and is collecting product samples with state partners for testing and analysis.
A Larger National Cyclospora Season
The Taco Bell-linked illnesses are a subset of broader cyclosporiasis activity being investigated nationally. The CDC said it is also looking into other outbreaks and illnesses that are not connected to this particular five-state outbreak.
That distinction is important because some state and media counts may be higher than the federal outbreak number. The FDA noted that state reports may include probable cases, initial reports not yet confirmed by the CDC, or illnesses unrelated to the Taco Bell lettuce investigation.
What Is Cyclospora?
Cyclosporiasis is an intestinal illness caused by the microscopic parasite Cyclospora cayetanensis. People become infected by eating food or drinking water contaminated with the parasite. Fresh produce has been linked to previous outbreaks because it is often eaten raw.
Symptoms typically begin about a week after exposure, although they can appear anywhere from two days to two weeks or more after a person eats contaminated food. The most common symptoms include watery diarrhea, loss of appetite, weight loss, stomach cramps, bloating, gas, nausea and fatigue. Fever, body aches, headache and vomiting may also occur.
The illness can last for weeks if untreated and may relapse, meaning symptoms can improve and then return. People with weakened immune systems may experience more severe or prolonged illness.
The CDC says patients may need to specifically request testing for Cyclospora because routine stool tests do not always screen for the parasite.
Why Washing May Not Be Enough
The CDC recommends washing hands and fresh produce under running water, but it also cautions that washing alone cannot guarantee Cyclospora will be removed. Cooking can kill the parasite, with the CDC pointing to FDA guidance that produce should be cooked to at least 158°F, or 70°C, to reduce risk.
That creates a particular challenge with lettuce, which is normally eaten raw and, in fast-food settings, may be shredded, mixed, distributed and served across many locations before an outbreak is detected.
What Consumers Should Do
Consumers in the affected states should avoid food items containing shredded iceberg lettuce from Taylor Farms de Mexico served at Taco Bell. Anyone who ate shredded iceberg lettuce from Taco Bell in the two weeks before becoming ill and develops symptoms should contact a healthcare provider, report the symptoms and ask whether Cyclospora testing is appropriate.
The FDA also recommends cleaning and sanitizing any surfaces or containers that may have touched the implicated lettuce.
For now, the investigation remains active. Federal officials say additional brands, restaurants, retailers or distribution channels could still be identified as they continue tracing where the lettuce went and how the contamination occurred.
