The U.S. Food and Drug Administration said on October 2, 2026, that it has concluded its investigation into a multistate Cyclospora outbreak tied to recalled iceberg lettuce from Taylor Farms de Mexico. The agency reported that two environmental samples collected during onsite inspections in Mexico tested positive for the parasite, which it said adds to the existing epidemiological data and traceback evidence linking the outbreak to the company's recalled shredded iceberg lettuce.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention had already declared the outbreak over on September 11, 2026, after case counts declined significantly. The FDA's closure formalizes the end of the joint investigation and summarizes what regulators were, and were not, able to determine about how the contamination occurred.
What the FDA found
According to the FDA, inspectors collected samples at multiple iceberg lettuce growers and at a Taylor Farms de Mexico processing facility in Guanajuato, Mexico, working with Mexican officials. Of those samples, two tested positive for Cyclospora: one from a tank holding outgoing wastewater at the processing plant, and another from a drainage ditch at a farm identified through the agency's traceback investigation.
No sample of the lettuce itself tested positive, the FDA said. The agency stated that the positive environmental samples show the parasite was present in the places where the lettuce was grown and processed, but it added there is "currently not enough evidence to conclusively determine how contamination occurred."
Scale of the outbreak
The CDC's final count puts the outbreak at 12,883 illnesses across 21 states, with at least 570 hospitalizations and two deaths, both in Michigan, in people who had underlying health conditions. The last reported illness began on August 17, 2026. The outbreak was initially linked to Taco Bell locations in Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Ohio and West Virginia; in one CDC analysis of 190 patients who had eaten at Taco Bell, 90% reported eating iceberg lettuce before falling ill.
Outbreak case counts over time (CDC)| Date | Confirmed illnesses | States affected |
|---|
| July 24, 2026 | 1,947 | 9 |
|---|
| August 5, 2026 | 6,358 | 15 |
|---|
| August 27, 2026 | 11,458 | 20 |
|---|
| Final count (as of outbreak closure) | 12,883 | 21 |
|---|
The recall
Taylor Farms de Mexico voluntarily recalled all iceberg lettuce sourced from central Mexico on July 17, 2026. Recalled items included Marketside-brand iceberg and shredded lettuce sold at Walmart, with best-if-used-by dates between July 18 and August 3, 2026, as well as foodservice products distributed to restaurants in more than two dozen states. Taco Bell, identified as a primary distributor of the affected lettuce, has since discontinued using that supplier.
Taylor Fresh Foods said the independent grower where contamination was identified is no longer part of its supplier network and that the company has closed the implicated Mexico facility while putting in place additional safety measures. A company statement, cited by Fox Business, said there is "currently not enough evidence to conclusively determine how contamination occurred," echoing the FDA's own caveat.
What cyclosporiasis is
Cyclosporiasis is an intestinal illness caused by the microscopic parasite Cyclospora cayetanensis, according to the CDC. People become infected by consuming contaminated food or water; the illness does not spread from person to person. Symptoms typically begin about one week after exposure, ranging from two days to two weeks or longer, and the most common symptom is watery diarrhea, along with loss of appetite, weight loss, cramping, bloating, gas, nausea and fatigue. Without treatment, the CDC says symptoms can last from a few days to a month or longer, though the illness is not usually life-threatening. Children, older adults and immunocompromised people face a higher risk of complications.
What remains unknown
Despite closing the case, the FDA has not identified the precise mechanism by which Cyclospora reached the lettuce. The agency's findings establish that the parasite was present in the growing and processing environment but stop short of confirming a direct contamination pathway. Both the FDA and the CDC say the recalled products are no longer on the market.
Questions
- What caused the Cyclospora outbreak?
- The FDA says recalled iceberg lettuce from Taylor Farms de Mexico is the source. Environmental samples from a wastewater tank at the company's processing plant and a drainage ditch at a supplying farm tested positive for Cyclospora, though no lettuce sample itself tested positive.
- How many people got sick?
- According to the CDC, 12,883 people across 21 states were sickened, 570 were hospitalized, and two people in Michigan died; both had underlying health conditions.
- Is the recalled lettuce still on store shelves?
- No. The FDA and CDC both say the recalled Taylor Farms de Mexico iceberg lettuce, recalled on July 17, 2026, is no longer available in stores or restaurants.
- What are the symptoms of cyclosporiasis?
- The CDC lists watery diarrhea as the most common symptom, along with loss of appetite, weight loss, cramping, bloating, gas, nausea and fatigue, usually starting about a week after exposure and lasting days to over a month without treatment.
- Has the investigation fully explained how the lettuce was contaminated?
- No. The FDA says it could not conclusively determine how the contamination occurred, despite finding the parasite in the processing plant's wastewater and in a farm drainage ditch linked through traceback.
This piece was prepared with artificial intelligence and passed an automated source check before publication. If you see an error, ask for a correction. Request a correction or reply · How we make this
