WASHINGTON, DC — Taylor Fresh Foods is voluntarily removing all iceberg lettuce sourced from central Mexico from the U.S. market as federal health officials continue to investigate a multistate cyclosporiasis outbreak. The Food and Drug Administration said the shredded lettuce was sold in 27 states between June 29 and July 16, and the CDC says the outbreak has now sickened more than 1,600 people nationwide.
The recall notice covers lettuce distributed to retail and food-service customers, including Marketside-brand products sold at some Walmart locations. Federal officials said the outbreak remains under investigation, and the CDC has linked some illnesses to shredded iceberg lettuce served at Taco Bell locations in Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Ohio and West Virginia.
What Taylor Farms Said
In the recall notice, Taylor Fresh Foods said it stopped receiving product from the implicated lot, suspended distribution of iceberg lettuce from Central Mexico and notified customers. The company said it is working with the FDA, CDC and state authorities while actively removing the affected products from the market.
Taylor Fresh Foods also said the lettuce tied to the outbreak came from a single independent farm in central Mexico. The company said no other Taylor Fresh Foods products are affected, and it said no Taylor Farms branded salad kits contain iceberg lettuce.
How The Outbreak Spread
The FDA said its traceback work identified a single supplier of iceberg lettuce from Mexico that was used at the Taco Bell locations named in the CDC investigation. The agency said the outbreak may also include other cyclosporiasis illnesses that are not connected to that lettuce, and it is working with state and local partners on those cases.
Cyclosporiasis cases are reported every year, but health officials said this year has brought more reported illnesses than usual. So far, federal officials have counted more than 1,644 confirmed cases, along with 94 hospitalizations and no reported deaths.
What Consumers Should Check
The FDA is urging customers to check the recall list and throw away any recalled items. The agency said the products were sold in Alabama, Arkansas, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Maryland, Michigan, Missouri, Mississippi, North Carolina, New Hampshire, New Jersey, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia and Wisconsin.
Officials said the recall does not affect all Taylor Fresh Foods products nationwide, but consumers should look closely at whether a package matches the recall notice. The FDA and CDC said they will continue sharing updates as the investigation moves forward.
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