Federal health officials have linked a multistate cyclospora outbreak to shredded iceberg lettuce served at Taco Bell locations in five states.

The FDA and CDC are advising consumers to avoid eating shredded iceberg lettuce at Taco Bell restaurants in Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Ohio, and West Virginia. The advisory follows an investigation linking a multistate outbreak of cyclospora to a single supplier of iceberg lettuce from Mexico. More than 1,600 people have reported eating at Taco Bell locations in the affected states prior to falling ill.

Outbreak Investigation and Response

Health officials identified the link after analyzing 190 cases in Michigan, where 90% of individuals who fell ill reported consuming iceberg lettuce at Taco Bell. While the FDA has not officially named the supplier, Taylor Farms confirmed on July 17 that it is voluntarily removing all iceberg lettuce sourced from central Mexico. The company stated that its branded salad kits sold in grocery stores are not associated with the outbreak. Taco Bell announced on July 16 that it took immediate action to remove potentially impacted lettuce from its supply chain in the affected states. The company stated it would replace the product nationwide within 24 hours.

Scope of the Outbreak

While the current advisory focuses on Taco Bell locations in five states, cases of cyclospora have been reported in 34 states nationwide. Officials noted that the Taco Bell cluster may not account for all reported illnesses, as the investigation is ongoing and contaminated lettuce may have been distributed to other retailers. To date, there have been 94 hospitalizations and no reported deaths linked to the outbreak.