The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention linked shredded iceberg lettuce served at Taco Bell restaurants to a multistate outbreak of cyclosporiasis. The agency’s alert reported 1,644 illnesses across five states and advised consumers to avoid the implicated lettuce in those areas.
The evidence supplied for this article does not include a Washington Post report, despite the discovery note’s attribution. The source identification instead came directly from the CDC, while a later Food and Drug Administration investigation linked the outbreak to processed iceberg lettuce supplied by Taylor Farms de Mexico and sourced from central Mexico.
Taylor Farms announced on July 17 that it was removing all central-Mexico iceberg lettuce from the US market. Its recall included several Marketside-branded salad and shredded-lettuce products sold at Walmart, along with products distributed to food-service customers. Taco Bell told the FDA that it stopped using lettuce from Taylor Farms de Mexico on July 17. Those actions occurred the day after the event date.
The investigation expanded substantially in later updates. The FDA ultimately reported 10,930 illnesses across 17 states, 454 hospitalisations and two deaths, with the latest illness onset dated August 11. Both people who died had significant underlying health conditions that Michigan officials said may have been worsened by cyclosporiasis and dehydration. Those later totals should not be read as figures available on July 16.
Cyclospora infection commonly causes frequent diarrhoea and may also produce appetite loss, weight loss, abdominal pain, bloating, nausea and fatigue. Some infected people have no symptoms. Untreated illness can lead to dehydration and other severe complications, particularly for people with weakened immune systems, and symptoms can disappear before returning.
FDA inspectors worked with Mexican officials on inspections and sampling at lettuce growers. Later in the investigation, the agency said recalled product connected with this outbreak was no longer on the market.
The July 16 development was the CDC’s identification of Taco Bell’s shredded iceberg lettuce as the source of 1,644 reported infections in five states. The Taylor Farms recall and much larger case count emerged only afterward as interviews and traceback work continued.
