Mexican lettuce at Taco Bell linked to record US cyclospora outbreak

Federal health officials have traced a record-breaking cyclospora outbreak to lettuce from Mexico served at Taco Bell restaurants across five states. The parasite, which causes severe diarrhea, has sickened more than five thousand people in Michigan alone, with an additional two thousand probable and suspected cases scattered across more than thirty states nationwide. More than one hundred people in Michigan have required hospitalization, and dozens more have been admitted to hospitals in other states. No deaths have been reported, but the scale of this outbreak has already surpassed the previous record set in 2019, when about forty-seven hundred cases were documented across the country.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Food and Drug Administration traced the contamination to a single supplier of shredded iceberg lettuce. Taylor Fresh Foods, a family-owned company based in Salinas, California, identified the source as a specific independent farm affiliated with its operations in central Mexico. The company has a history with foodborne illness outbreaks—it was linked to a cyclosporiasis outbreak in 2013 involving salad mix and an E. coli outbreak in 2024 tied to onions served at McDonald's. In response to the current crisis, Taylor Fresh Foods announced it was voluntarily removing all iceberg lettuce sourced from central Mexico from the US market. Taco Bell committed to halting use of lettuce from the identified supplier and said it would replace affected ingredients nationwide within twenty-four hours in select states.

Cyclospora is a microscopic parasite that infects the bowels and spreads through contaminated feces. The illness, called cyclosporiasis, typically causes watery diarrhea with frequent and sometimes explosive bowel movements. It is usually not life-threatening and responds to antibiotic treatment. The parasite thrives in warm weather, which is why outbreaks tend to cluster in late spring and summer. Historically, people have contracted cyclospora by consuming fruits or vegetables exposed to feces-contaminated irrigation water. The illness is far less common than other foodborne pathogens like Salmonella or E. coli, and for years, few US outbreaks were documented.

That pattern changed about a decade ago. Cases began rising noticeably, with particularly sharp spikes in 2018 and 2019. The current outbreak has shattered all previous records. Michigan, which appears to be the epicenter, is reporting more than five thousand confirmed cases plus an additional two thousand probable and suspected cases. North Carolina has reported more than three hundred cases, though health officials there say those illnesses are not linked to the Michigan outbreak. Federal investigators are still working to determine whether contaminated lettuce reached other restaurants, retailers, or distribution channels beyond Taco Bell. Michigan health officials noted that many sick people reported not eating at Taco Bell, suggesting the lettuce may have been distributed more widely than initially identified.

Michigan health officials emphasized that there is no evidence the outbreak stems from poor food handling or preparation at any single restaurant or chain. For this reason, they continue recommending that consumers purchase whole heads of lettuce rather than pre-washed, bagged lettuce or pre-mixed salad kits. Taylor Fresh Foods stated that no Taylor Farms-branded salad kits contain iceberg lettuce, though the company acknowledged that past outbreaks have involved products sold under different brand names.

Experts attribute the rising trend in cyclospora cases to a combination of factors: climate change, improved detection methods, and the likelihood that cases were historically underreported. Some common tests used to screen for foodborne illness have not been designed to detect cyclospora. Technicians cannot grow the parasite in laboratory settings, making it difficult to gather evidence from contaminated produce. Additionally, tracing the source becomes complicated when a single ingredient—such as basil or cilantro—appears in multiple recipes, obscuring the connection between sick people and what they ate.

Federal health officials stressed that the investigation is ongoing and that other brands, restaurants, retailers, or distribution channels could yet be linked to the outbreak. The FDA is working with the supplier to determine whether potentially contaminated lettuce remains on the market in other states. For now, consumers in Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Ohio, and West Virginia have been warned not to eat shredded iceberg lettuce from Taco Bell. The broader question—how much contaminated lettuce reached stores and restaurants beyond the initial five-state zone—remains unanswered as investigators continue their work.