Shredded iceberg lettuce supplied by Taylor Farms to some Taco Bell restaurants has been identified as a potential source of a regional cyclosporiasis outbreak, according to reports published Thursday by The Washington Post and CNN. Both outlets attributed the supplier connection to people familiar with the investigation.
The reported link is an important development, but federal agencies have not publicly identified Taylor Farms, Taco Bell or a specific product as the confirmed source. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s public outbreak table continued to list the product connected to the newly posted Cyclospora investigation as “not yet identified” on July 16.
What investigators are examining
The reported lettuce-related cluster is centered in the Midwest. CNN reported that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention had identified at least 400 related cases in Michigan, Ohio, West Virginia and Kentucky. A source told the outlet that affected Taco Bell locations were in those states, while cautioning that the produce may have been distributed elsewhere.
The investigation is part of a much larger increase in cyclosporiasis across the country. Since May 1, the CDC has received reports from 34 states involving 1,645 laboratory-confirmed domestic cases and more than 5,100 additional reports that require further review. At least 141 people have been hospitalized, and no deaths have been reported.
Those nationwide numbers should not be treated as one outbreak or as cases all connected to a single restaurant, supplier or food. Federal officials have said different patterns may be occurring in different places.
Taco Bell said it voluntarily and temporarily removed limited ingredients from selected restaurants as a precaution and would continue following guidance from public health authorities. The company did not identify the affected ingredients or markets in its public statement.
Local context for Cameron County
Cameron County Public Health reported two confirmed Cyclospora cases for 2026 in a July 14 local update. No public information reviewed by BTX Today connects those Cameron County cases to Taylor Farms, Taco Bell or the Midwest cluster.
Residents can read BTX Today’s earlier local report, Cameron County Reports Two Cyclospora Cases as National Outbreak Investigation Continues, for additional county-level context.
Symptoms and testing
Cyclosporiasis is an intestinal illness caused by the microscopic parasite Cyclospora cayetanensis. It is usually acquired by consuming contaminated food or water. Common symptoms include watery diarrhea, stomach cramps, bloating, nausea, fatigue, loss of appetite and weight loss. Symptoms may last for days or more than a month and can return after appearing to improve.
The CDC advises people with symptoms to contact a health care provider. Detecting Cyclospora requires a specific laboratory test that may not be included in routine stool testing, and more than one sample may be needed.
The investigation is ongoing, and recommendations may change as federal and state agencies release additional findings.
