The FDA has retracted its statement that the cyclospora outbreak is linked to Taylor Farms, the supplier of Taco Bell lettuce, The Wall Street Journal reported July 20.
Here is what to know.
1. On July 17, the CDC said the outbreak was connected to iceberg lettuce served at Taco Bell in five states. The agency’s July 16 notice encouraged people not to eat at Taco Bell locations in Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Ohio and West Virginia, though not all locations in those states received the affected lettuce and no recall has been issued. The FDA traced the iceberg lettuce to Mexico and Salinas, Calif.-based Taylor Farms, though the agency did not publicly name the farm.
2. On July 19, the FDA said the test that linked the outbreak to Taylor Farms was a false positive after laboratory experts reviewed the sample results. The agency has not yet identified the presence of cyclospora on any samples of lettuce from the company. In a July 20 press conference, FDA officials said false positives are rare, but tracing has “converged” on Taylor Farms. They added that tracing these sorts of outbreaks is difficult.
3. The outbreak has sickened more than 1,644 people across 34 states, with 94 hospitalizations and no deaths, in illnesses with onset dates from May 13 through July 13, the CDC found. More than 5,100 illnesses are still under investigation. The year 2026 is on track to be the worst cyclospora year on record. Cyclosporiasis — which causes watery diarrhea, cramping, fatigue and weight loss — typically begins days to weeks after exposure and can persist for a month without the antibiotic treatment the infection requires.
4. Taylor Farms said the FDA apologized for its earlier statement. The company makes a range of products from salad kits to vegetable blends and supplies some of the country’s biggest retailers and restaurants, including Taco Bell. Taylor Farms said it initiated a recall of its iceberg lettuce grown and processed in central Mexico “in an abundance of caution.”
“Our thoughts remain with everyone who has fallen ill in this outbreak,” Taylor Farms told the Journal. “We are committed to working with public health authorities as the ongoing outbreak investigation continues.”
5. The FDA and state agencies are continuing to analyze samples and find the source of the outbreak.
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