Report: Taco Bell Lettuce Supplier Identified as Possible Source of Cyclosporiasis Outbreak

Report: Taco Bell Lettuce Supplier Identified as Possible Source of Cyclosporiasis Outbreak

I have been following the nationwide outbreak of Cyclospora cayetanensis, a microscopic gut parasite that triggers explosive diarrhea and can be accompanied by severe cramping, nausea, fatigue, and prolonged weeks of illness.

As I noted in that article, given similar previously recorded events, the Cyclospora spread would likely be tied to fruits or vegetables from a national distributor.  Subsequently, I indicated that Taco Bell restaurants were pulling fresh ingredients from the menu.

It now appears that cases of Cyclospora are exploding throughout the country.

As of July 14, nearly 7,000 cases of cyclosporiasis have been reported by at least 34 states, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The CDC believes 400 of these cases in four states — Michigan, Ohio, West Virginia and Kentucky — are connected as part of a large, multistate outbreak, it said in a health alert on Tuesday.

Cyclosporasis cases normally increase in the U.S. during the warmer months, according to the CDC. But the recent surge has sparked concern.

“Cases are simply exploding across the country,” NBC medical contributor and ER physician Dr. John Torres said on TODAY in a July 14 segment. At least 141 people have been hospitalized so far.

Investigators closed in on Taco Bell as a potential source of the parasite.

The Washington Post cites two anonymous sources close to the investigation, which is said to involve both federal and state health officials.

Taco Bell has reportedly removed lettuce, cilantro, pico de gallo and guacamole from its menu in some areas as a precaution.

Michigan’s health department has pointed to lettuce or other salad greens as a potential source of the outbreak, but said some people infected with the parasite did not eat at Taco Bell.

The CDC has not yet confirmed if a specific food item is the source of the outbreak.

Sources then told The Washington Post that investigators identified Taco Bell’s lettuce supplier, Taylor Farms, as the possible source of the parasite:

Investigators have identified shredded iceberg lettuce supplied to Taco Bell restaurants by Taylor Farms as a potential source of contamination in the outbreak of a parasitic illness that has sickened thousands in the United States, according to two individuals familiar with the investigation.

The two spoke on the condition of anonymity to share details of the ongoing investigation.

—

“The signal we have gotten is that there is a very high percentage of people who got sick at Taco Bell, and when investigators asked what their menu items were in common, lettuce came up frequently,” said one of the individuals. When the FDA asked the company where they sourced the lettuce from, it was Taylor Farms, not just for the Taco Bell stores in Michigan but also for restaurants in the three other states, the person said.

Happily, for me, California does not appear to be impacted by this current outbreak.

“There are no known local outbreaks in the state, and no California cases are currently known to be linked to outbreaks affecting other states, which are under investigation by their respective state health departments, the Centers for Diseases Control and Prevention (CDC) and the US Food and Drug Administration,” CDPH said.

The department said California has actually recorded fewer cases of cyclosporiasis than in 2025.

Michigan appears to be the hardest-hit state in this explosive situation, with reports indicating the largest single-state outbreak and the highest case counts so far.

Michigan health officials have reported over 4,300 confirmed cases in what they describe as the largest such outbreak in the state’s history, with cases concentrated in the southeastern region near the Ohio border. These numbers may reflect Michigan’s aggressive surveillance system for tracking Cyclospora cases.

Cyclospora surges can be tricky to investigate, and food poisoning sources can be hard to establish. But “there is clearly a linked outbreak happening right now,” Dr. Natasha Bagdasarian, Michigan’s chief medical executive, told The Associated Press on Wednesday.

…Michigan appears to be suffering the worst of it, but the state’s aggressiveness in investigating and reporting cases may be “part of the reason why this looks like a Michigan problem,” Bagdasarian said.

People who have diarrhea that hasn’t gone away on its own within a few days should see a health provider and discuss the possibility of cyclospora, officials say.

MYSTERY PARASITE OUTBREAK CONTINUES TO GROW

More states are now reporting Cyclospora infections as health officials continue searching for the source behind a growing outbreak that has now spread across 38 states.

Michigan remains the hardest hit with more than 1,500 reported… pic.twitter.com/XetmvPUuXe

— Michael Bradbury (@MrMBB333) July 12, 2026

Meanwhile, Forbes has published an utterly laughable article linking this outbreak to….climate change.

Fake news source @Forbes: Carbon dioxide is the reason that eating feces-tainted food gives you explosive diarrhea, or something?

Science! pic.twitter.com/ob1HeXv1go

— Tom Nelson (@TomANelson) July 14, 2026

The article argues that warmer, more humid conditions favor Cyclospora’s environmental maturation and survival on fresh produce. Furthermore, it asserts that rising temperatures are likely lengthening the seasonal transmission window for this traditionally tropical parasite.

Geographic expansion owing to climate change may facilitate the process by which cyclospora become increasingly prevalent in the U.S. And this doesn’t just apply to foodborne infectious diseases. To illustrate, the warming trend has helped establish West Nile virus, caused by bites from infected mosquitoes, as an endemic disease across the U.S. in the past 25 years. Likewise, Europe is experiencing a significant increase in prevalence of West Nile and other tropical diseases.

Research shows that continued climate change could help increase the transmissibility of viruses such as West Nile, which is part of a family of vector-borne viruses that includes Zika, dengue and yellow fever.

Climate change…is there any disaster it can’t be tied to?

A sounder argument, based on actual science, is that complex, large‑scale produce supply chains, where a single contamination event at the farm or processing level can seed infections nationwide, are the more plausible primary driver, regardless of prevailing weather patterns.

As investigators work to untangle this outbreak, Americans should hope for swift identification of the source of the contamination and an equally rapid end to the spread of this thoroughly nasty parasite.

The episode is yet another reminder that our centralized produce supply chains, while efficient, can also amplify a single failure into a nationwide public health problem.

If there is any silver lining, it is that this incident may spur practical improvements in food safety systems so Americans can continue to enjoy abundant, affordable meals without an added side of risk.

Donations tax deductible
to the full extent allowed by law.