Is Taylor Farms behind the 'Cyclosporiasis' outbreak in the US? California-based supplier's shredded iceberg lettuce reportedly linked to Taco Bell

Health officials are investigating a cyclosporiasis outbreak in the United States, with reports indicating that Taylor Farms, a California-based produce supplier, provided the shredded iceberg lettuce served at Taco Bell locations linked to the illnesses. While the lettuce has been identified as part of the supply chain, officials have not confirmed that Taylor Farms is the source of the contamination. The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) are jointly investigating a cyclosporiasis outbreak that has been linked to shredded iceberg lettuce served at Taco Bell restaurants in Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Ohio, and West Virginia.

According to the FDA, CDC data shows that 1,644 people across the five states have been diagnosed with the parasitic intestinal illness and reported eating at Taco Bell before becoming sick. The outbreak has resulted in 94 hospitalizations, though no deaths have been reported.

The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced on Thursday that Taco Bell, owned by Yum Brands, will discontinue using lettuce from a supplier connected to an ongoing cyclosporiasis outbreak. The announcement came just hours after Taco Bell said it had voluntarily removed potentially affected shredded lettuce from select restaurants following discussions with public health officials. The company said the move was taken as a precaution while health authorities continue investigating the source of the outbreak.


"The affected ingredient from our supplier is being indefinitely removed from our supply chain nationwide and will be replaced within 24 hours in select states," the company said as quoted by Reuters.

Neither the FDA nor Taco Bell has publicly identified the lettuce supplier involved in the investigation. However, the agency said its traceback efforts have pointed to a shared Mexican supplier of iceberg lettuce that was distributed to Taco Bell restaurants visited by many of the affected customers before they became ill.

According to a report by 'The Washington Post', investigators have identified California-based Taylor Farms as a potential source of the shredded lettuce linked to the outbreak. The company has not been officially confirmed by the FDA as the source of the contamination, and the investigation remains ongoing.

The outbreak, first detected in early May, has affected several states, with Michigan reporting the highest number of cases. Ohio and New York have also recorded significant numbers of infections. As of Thursday, Michigan health officials reported 4,312 confirmed cases, as reported by the news agency, highlighting the scale of the outbreak in the state.