Taylor Farms Recalls Iceberg Lettuce as Cyclospora Outbreak Expands Across U.S.

Taylor Farms has announced a voluntary recall of iceberg lettuce grown in central Mexico after U.S. health officials linked the product to a widespread Cyclospora outbreak. Federal investigators traced the contaminated lettuce to a single farm that supplied shredded iceberg lettuce to Taco Bell restaurants in five states, prompting the restaurant chain to remove the ingredient while the investigation continues. More than 1,600 confirmed illnesses and 94 hospitalizations have been reported, with no deaths recorded.

The California-based produce company said it is removing all iceberg lettuce sourced from the affected region as a precaution, while stressing that its branded salad kits and other products are not included in the recall. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention continue to investigate the outbreak and have increased screening of imported lettuce from Mexico.

Source: ABC News, The New York Times, Mercury News, CDC and FDA official updates.