Cyclospora outbreak linked to iceberg lettuce expands to 9 states

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration released this Cyclospora outbreak update July 24, 2026:

The FDA and CDC, in collaboration with state and local partners, are investigating a multistate outbreak of Cyclospora infections linked to iceberg lettuce sourced from central Mexico and recalled by Taylor Farms de Mexico.

The illnesses included in this outbreak are a subset of the Cyclospora infections identified nationwide. This outbreak now includes illnesses from 9 states: Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Michigan, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia.

Based on epidemiological information collected by CDC, a total of 1,947 people infected with Cyclospora and reporting exposure to Taco Bell have been reported by nine states. Illnesses started on dates ranging from June 22, 2026, to July 20, 2026.

There have been at least 98 hospitalizations, and no deaths have been reported. This increase in cases is, in part, due to the identification and addition of four new states that are now considered part of this outbreak. We also expect to continue to see the number of confirmed cases rise, despite the recall, due to the fact that it can take as long as six weeks for CDC and state officials to determine if a sick person is part of this outbreak.

On July 19, 2026, FDA provided an update about a false positive sample collected at the border. To clarify, this false-positive lab sample DOES NOT change the basis for FDA’s ongoing outbreak investigation or the overwhelming epidemiological data supporting the current voluntary recall by Taylor Farms.

FDA’s traceback investigation and outbreak data continue to converge on shredded iceberg lettuce from Taylor Farms from growers in central Mexico. We encourage the public to continue to avoid all products listed in Taylor Farms’ voluntary recall.

FDA will continue to work with federal and state partners to investigate this multistate outbreak and ensure products implicated in this outbreak have been removed from the market.