Taylor Farms recalls shredded iceberg lettuce in 27 states

FDA warns of more products as cases top 1,600

Taylor Farms announced Friday it was voluntarily recalling shredded iceberg lettuce produced at its Guanajuato, Mexico, facility “because it has the potential to be contaminated with Cyclospora,” according to the recall notice. The company said in a statement it is “actively removing the implicated products” and has stopped sourcing lettuce from the affected lot. The recall covers 25 shredded lettuce and salad mix products sold under eight different brand codes, with “best by” dates through Aug. 3.

The company did not specify which brand names or retailers are affected. Taylor Farms did not respond to an emailed request from the Associated Press for the full names of those brands or retailers. Large retailers including Costco, Target, and Walmart carry Taylor Farms products, and the producer also owns organic brands such as Earthbound Farm.

The FDA earlier this week identified lettuce from a supplier in Mexico as a source of Cyclospora contamination in food served at Taco Bell restaurants in Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Ohio, and West Virginia. Taco Bell was the first restaurant chain to announce it would stop serving produce in several states in light of the outbreak. Michigan has confirmed more than 5,000 cases of cyclosporiasis, officials said. The U.S. recorded 249 confirmed cyclosporiasis cases across all states last summer, according to the Guardian. At least 34 states have reported cases. New York and Colorado are reporting higher-than-usual infections but were not included on the recall list.

Sysco, the nation’s largest food distributor, has halted distribution of all Taylor Farms iceberg lettuce products sourced from Mexico and instructed customers to destroy them, the Associated Press reported.

The FDA’s investigation is ongoing. “Because the investigation remains ongoing, additional implicated brands, restaurants, retailers, or distribution channels may be identified as the investigation continues,” the agency said in a notice.

Dr. Donald Prater, acting deputy commissioner for food at the FDA, told journalists this week: “We are aware of the signal for lettuce. What I can say at this point is that we’re continuing our traceback investigation on multiple produce items, including the lettuce.”

Executives at Taylor Farms met with officials at the White House and FDA in an attempt to distance the company from the investigation, according to the Guardian, citing a report by the New York Times. Taylor Farms did not respond to questions from the Guardian about why specific products were not identified, how long the company had been aware of potential contamination, and whether other products may also be risky.

Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., in his first public comments about the outbreak on Friday, said on a podcast: “There are cyclospora outbreaks every summer. Now that we know the probable culprit, I think it’s going to be much easier for people to make healthy choices.” Kennedy did not note that the number of cases is far higher than usual or that the investigation could uncover more contaminated products, the Guardian reported.

Taylor Farms has been linked to foodborne illness outbreaks previously. According to the Guardian, in 2013 the company was linked to a Cyclospora outbreak at restaurants including Olive Garden and Red Lobster, and in October 2024 an E. coli outbreak linked to McDonald’s Quarter Pounders was traced to the company’s slivered onions.

The U.S. is likely to see at least another two weeks of possible cases, since infections may have happened in recent days, and the expanding investigation could point to other products, the Guardian reported.