A widespread foodborne parasite outbreak that has sickened hundreds of people across five U.S. states has been traced to contaminated shredded iceberg lettuce supplied to the fast-food chain Taco Bell, U.S. health officials confirmed Friday.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and Food and Drug Administration (FDA) launched a joint federal investigation into the cluster of cyclosporiasis cases, which causes severe gastrointestinal illness including explosive diarrhea. Investigators ultimately pinned the contamination on a single Mexican-based lettuce supplier, whose produce was distributed to Taco Bell locations across Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Ohio and West Virginia.
As of the latest update, 1,644 people across the five states have received laboratory confirmation of cyclosporiasis infection linked to the Taco Bell outbreak. While no fatalities have been reported, 94 people have required hospital care for their symptoms. The CDC emphasized that this count only reflects confirmed cases tied to this specific outbreak, and does not include unrelated cyclosporiasis infections from other sources across the country.
Though federal health officials declined to publicly name the supplier, produce giant Taylor Farms issued a statement Friday acknowledging it had supplied the iceberg lettuce to Taco Bell. The company announced it would voluntarily withdraw all iceberg lettuce sourced from central Mexico from its distribution chain, a step it called proactive even though the FDA’s traceback points to a single independent farm that accounts for less than 1% of the entire U.S. iceberg lettuce supply. The removal will remain in place indefinitely. Taylor Farms also stressed that none of its branded pre-packaged salads or meal kits are connected to the outbreak, and its products do not include the iceberg lettuce in question.
Taco Bell followed up with its own announcement, confirming it had voluntarily pulled potentially affected lettuce from locations in the at-risk states. The chain added that the implicated ingredient will be permanently removed from its national supply chain, with replacement stock set to arrive at affected locations within 24 hours.
Federal health agencies have issued a warning advising consumers in the five affected states to avoid eating shredded iceberg lettuce from Taco Bell locations. Unlike many foodborne pathogens, cyclospora is a parasite that, if left untreated, can cause persistent symptoms lasting more than a month. While the infection is rarely fatal, it often leads to severe dehydration that requires medical intervention.
This is not the first time fresh produce has been linked to cyclospora outbreaks in the U.S. In past years, the parasite has been found in products ranging from pre-bagged salad mixes and raspberries to fresh cilantro, basil, snow peas and scallions. National health officials recommend two key steps to reduce infection risk: thoroughly washing all fresh produce, and cooking produce where possible, as heating food above 158°F (70°C) kills the cyclospora parasite.
Michigan has faced disproportionate impact from cyclosporiasis this year, with state authorities reporting more than 5,000 total cases. The FDA noted that discrepancies between state and national case counts are common, as states often include both probable and confirmed cases in their public reports, while national data only tracks lab-confirmed cases linked to specific outbreaks. There is also a standard lag between local case reporting and updates to national surveillance data, which means official counts may rise as new information comes in.