Iceberg lettuce supplied to Taco Bell linked to cyclospora outbreak

foodJul 17, 2026502,416

Shredded iceberg lettuce supplied by Taylor Farms and sold at some Taco Bell restaurants has been linked to a multistate cyclosporiasis outbreak, sources told CNN. The CDC reports nearly 7,000 cases confirmed or under investigation since May 1 and at least 141 hospitalizations; confirmed cases are more than six times higher than this time last year. The lettuce-linked cluster is regional and centered in the Midwest, with the CDC identifying at least 400 cases tied to Taco Bell locations in Michigan, Ohio, West Virginia and Kentucky. Michigan has reported more than 4,300 cases during the investigation and has interviewed over 1,000 people; state officials said the sharp increase strongly suggests most illnesses stem from the same outbreak. Taco Bell said it voluntarily removed the potentially impacted lettuce from a supplier in select states, is removing the affected ingredient from its supply chain nationwide indefinitely, and will replace it within 24 hours in select states. Taylor Farms did not respond to CNN’s request for comment. Federal health officials said multiple investigations are underway, and the produce supplier’s national reach makes it unclear which other products or locations may be affected. Cyclosporiasis is caused by a microscopic parasite and can cause watery diarrhea, cramping and bloating that can last for weeks.

Kari Dru

@karidru.bsky.social

Re: cyclospora, Taco Bell having ethics and going "you know what, it's always the fucking lettuce, why don't we just pull that until we know what's going on" resulting in all the outlets going "LETTUCE SOLD AT TACO BELL LINKED TO EXPLOSIVE DIARRHEA" is a fantastic way to discourage ethics in future.

13554h ago

Adam290

Taylor farms , owned by a Trump donor, supplies bagged lettuce to *everywhere*. Taco bell did the right thing proactively, and they are getting all the blame. The blame lies with RFK period. Taco bell being the fall guy is crazy.

Kari Dru232

It's also going to hurt people because they'll think they're in the clear if they don't eat Taco Bell. And that's not true. It's grocery store salad also.

SeasonalPun57

Meanwhile the people that make “raw cheese” or whatever it is declined to recall their tainted produce and almost nobody seems to have heard that.

JayIsPainting 🍁57

As a former food industry person, this makes me so mad. They did the right thing.

Veleda_k27

But if I acknowledge the facts, how will I get in my "Mexican food is scary and dirty" jokes?

Ray Radlein10

Like I said the other day, this is why we still call 1918 the "Spanish Flu"

Quoting this

moby dickgirl38

It's the Spanish flu of cyclospora

Amy Hoy30

this is the inverse mcdonald's coffee scald lady. or just generally, "whoever smelt it, dealt it". taco bell did the right thing. and it wasn't their (direct) fault. unlike that time chipotle's internal practices made people sick.

Glaiza Is Yearning✈️ GenCon 202614

LIKE TACO BELL DID THE RIGHT THING. EVERYONE SHOULD BE APPLAUDING THEM. how dare this universe make me defend taco bell. this is like when professor x and magneto teamed up but i'm MAD ABOUT IT.

Damion Schubert9

Taco Bell PR Manager: "Look, we already have kind of a weird reputation. This is urgent. Let's do everything in our power to convince people that, as far as this cyclospora thing goes, we are the restaurant LEAST LIKELY to give you explosive diarhhea." Everyone: "Haha, Taco Bell gives the poops!"

Bill Kuchman6

Like, do we think each Taco Bell restaurant has its own little garden?

Kevin Riggle4

Part of why the practice of performing ethics includes accepting that doing them even when it’s inconvenient is that, look, it’s always gonna be something like this

crb10793

Beyond the great point here about incentives for businesses (which is why you have objective inspectors Elon!), is there another leafy veggie that is less susceptible to these organisms...like is Kale resistant/immune to them?

Comfort Cripes2

This is REALLY not related but my taco bell also didn't have cinnamon twists yesterday and I'm laughing thinking of those growing on a farm. They did, though, have lettuce. Which I ate and only now realized. Ah well, I've had bowled salads this week too.

Quoting this

It’s the fucking “Spanish Flu” all over again!

Misty K Snow9

Everyone who gets sick should be allowed to sue Kennedy for damages.

🧿kika🧿5

I stand by my Taco Bell

Saisons3

RFK Jr did a whole Rajneeshee bioterror attack on every salad in America.

Becca's Mullet2

Of course it's owned by a Trump supporter. Of course.

WhinterQueen

@whinterqueen.bsky.social

i’ve been in restaurant and farm management and knew enough to know that “taco bell lettuce” meant some big producer’s lettuce. so when ppl were also saying the grocery store deli and mcdonald’s & other big chains i knew it had to be taylor farms. but most ppl wouldn’t, they have no reason to know

2284h ago

@dwilliamesq.bsky.social

Right. Taylor Farms supplies McDonalds, Wendy’s, Starbucks, Chipotle, Subway, Burger King, Walmart, Costco, Trader Joe’s, Aldi and so on. Any of them could have contaminated lettuce. Just because taco bell got unlucky and was traced first doesn’t mean all the headlines should refer to them by name.

941h ago

newandabitalarming.bsky.social2

Reminds me of when all those people died of the beef at Jack in the Box.

💋SassyAss💋Sister🔥🔱ValkyrieQueen🔱❤️‍🔥🥷Resistance Fighter👊 📎

@sassysister27.bsky.social

The culprits for this epidemic turn out to be Taylor Farms and surprise, surprise Taco Bell… www.cnn.com/2026/07/16/h...

664h ago

blueginger99.bsky.social7

There was a department that monitored cyclospora for decades but it was gutted by the GOP. Same thing with Screw Worm, etc.

MegAwake4

It's their supplier, not Taco Bell. They don't grow their own produce.

Strong Jersey איתן4

If you read to the end of the article it's pretty clear that Taco Bell is just one of many possible places that got the tainted lettuce. This is on Taylor Farms.

Pat🐓🍅3

So Taco Bell sells lettuce?

Bob2

This is what happens when Taco Bell goes rogue and joined the RepubliCON Klan, I hope all Dems will stop going there, if you don’t not only are you contributing to magat Nazis but you’ll have a disgusting uncomfortable after effects called Trumparrhea

Kats Peterson2

Taco Bell doesn't *sell* the lettuce itself. It *purchased* the lettuce it happens to use from Taylor Farms. This is on the farm.

Quoting this

Socks the Plushy ✡️23

Listen, Taco Bell is a big company with shitty practices but it's pretty misleading to connect this specifically to Taco Bell 1. Taco Bell has pulled the lettuce voluntarily already 2. Taylor Farms provides lettuce to a LOT of places 3. This isn't the first time Taylor Farms has been implicated

#VeryAsian Eric2

I'm surprised they were able to narrow the source of explosive diarrhea to Taco Bell's lettuce... 😝

KathleenB🌈💙💙💙🐸🐸🇺🇦2

It seems like it's always Taylor Farms

Amy Hoy

@amyhoy.bsky.social

right? taylor farms didn't shit SPECIFICALLY on the taco bell order lettuce. it's all dangerous.

481h ago

Michael McDonald

@electproject.bsky.social

I’m shocked to learn there is lettuce in Taco Bell food

321h ago

Jessica Winter

@winterjessica.bsky.social

Not to defend Taco Bell (I was raised on Mighty Taco) but Taylor Farms supplies lettuce literally everywhere—Sysco, Walmart, Target, McDonalds, etc

231h ago

Carl Zimmer

@carlzimmer.com

Cyclospora Linked to Taylor Farms Lettuce Sent to Taco Bell. Gift link: nyti.ms/4vGiNCl

221h ago

Quoting this

Megan Wachspress39

I know folks are shitting (pun intended) on RFK and DOGE for this outbreak, and that's fair, but I also want to give credit to the nameless bureaucrats who are hanging in there and solved the kind of complex public health puzzle that would have been unsolvable for much of human history. Thank you

jorb ❤️‍🔥

@jordizzle.bsky.social

The news: "Studies show that eating lettuce makes you poop yourself to death, but nobody knows what farms' lettuce makes you poop yourself to death." Taco Bell, the last bastion of hope on God's green flat Earth: *pulls lettuce to be safe* Idiots: "TACO BELL IS THE CULPRIT!"

194h ago

dissected

@trepanation.bsky.social

some people are saying taylor foods is responsible for the cyclospora outbreak. but i don’t believe that a private company can have evil in its heart. so i’m going to blame space aliens

251h ago

DrKR

@slat54.bsky.social

They are now saying that the outbreak of Donariah has been traced to iceberg lettuce served at Taco Bell and other places.

94h ago

🏳️‍⚧️ Matryoshka Mildred

@maneatermildred.bsky.social

Ive been eating taco bell frequently and my ass has not exploded in diarrhea. Maybe Im built different

184h ago

IHOP endless footjobs w/syrup $8.993

i had taco bell yesterday AND today and i feel amazing cheesy double beef burrito i owe you my life

Fartinginprogressblue!!1

That only happens to evil people. You’re pure of heart

xxkrilla1

whats ur normal order i love taco bell

Dex Anderson

@dexanderson.com

okay but For my ENTIRE LIFE, my order at taco bell is a soft shell taco, no lettuce. Cannot stand lettuce in tacos. It's a texture thing. AUTISM WIN.

201h ago

RoseMarie

@rosesbloom24.bsky.social

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has linked the outbreak of cyclosporiasis to iceberg lettuce that Taylor Farms supplied to Taco Bell, according to two federal officials who declined to be named. 🧵 www.nytimes.com/2026/07/16/w...?

81h ago

3 sources

cnn.comIceberg lettuce sold at Taco Bell linked to cyclospora outbreak | CNN usatoday.comTaco Bell holds the lettuce in some states, citing cyclospora risk theguardian.comCyclosporiasis: officials looking at Taco Bell lettuce supplier as potential source of outbreak

Iceberg lettuce supplied to Taco Bell linked to cyclospora outbreakfood

Iceberg lettuce supplied to Taco Bell linked to cyclospora outbreak

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