Taylor Farms has initiated a voluntary recall of iceberg lettuce distributed across 27 states after potential contamination with cyclospora, a microscopic parasite linked to thousands of diarrhea cases nationwide. The company suspended all iceberg lettuce shipments from Central Mexico and urged consumers to immediately discard any recalled products.

Widespread Distribution Affects Major Retailers

The recalled shredded iceberg lettuce reached consumers between June 29 and July 16 across 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. Federal health officials connected the outbreak to lettuce served at Taco Bell locations in five Midwest states.

Major food chains responded swiftly to the recall. Taco Bell removed the lettuce from all restaurants and its nationwide supply chain. Jack in the Box pulled affected products from stores in Texas, Oklahoma and Louisiana, replacing them with domestically sourced lettuce. The company reported no illnesses linked to food served at its locations. Restaurant distributor Sysco proactively removed all Taylor Farms processed iceberg lettuce from Mexico and instructed customers to destroy remaining inventory.

Testing Results Create Confusion

The Food and Drug Administration reported conflicting test results during the investigation. After announcing Saturday that a Taylor Farms lettuce sample tested positive for cyclospora, the agency reversed course Sunday, calling the result a false positive. Federal and state partners continue collecting and analyzing product samples, though none have confirmed contamination. The FDA indicated additional states may join the recall list as more information becomes available.

Health Risks and Outbreak Scale

Cyclosporiasis causes watery diarrhea, cramping and bloating that can persist for weeks, potentially leading to dehydration. Nearly 7,000 confirmed cases or investigations span 34 states since May. The FDA has not received a complete customer list from Taylor Fresh Foods, limiting public knowledge about which specific retailers or restaurants sold the recalled products. Walmart removed four Marketside-branded bagged salads from select locations as a precautionary measure, despite no indication its products were affected. US Foods notified customers Friday that a limited number of Cross Valley Farms brand products were impacted.

Consumer Protection Measures

Taylor Farms emphasized that consumers who purchased the recalled iceberg lettuce should not eat it under any circumstances. The company actively removed products from distribution channels and ceased receiving shipments from the implicated production lot. Health officials recommend anyone experiencing persistent digestive symptoms seek medical attention, as cyclosporiasis requires specific antibiotic treatment to resolve.