Taylor Farms Withdraws Iceberg Lettuce Amid Cyclosporiasis Investigation

Taylor Farms, a California-based company, has announced the removal of its iceberg lettuce from the U.S. market in response to an ongoing investigation into a cyclosporiasis outbreak. The outbreak, linked to a food and waterborne parasite, has affected over 1,600 individuals, with 94 requiring hospitalization, primarily in Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Ohio, and West Virginia.

The company stated that the lettuce in question was sourced from Taylor Farms de Mexico and is being withdrawn indefinitely, despite the FDA tracing the outbreak to a specific independent farm that accounts for less than 1% of the U.S. iceberg lettuce supply. Taco Bell has also taken action to remove potentially impacted lettuce from its supply chain in select states. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has warned residents in the affected states against consuming shredded iceberg lettuce from Taco Bell locations. Investigations are ongoing, with officials noting that the actual number of cases may be higher than reported.