The U.S. Food and Drug Administration just announced that lettuce from a key supplier linked to the ongoing cyclosporiasis outbreak has not tested positive for the parasite, reversing an earlier finding by the agency. The FDA previously identified contamination in a sample of lettuce from Taylor Farms de Mexico, but after retesting, said the finding was inaccurate.
“Due to the complexity in detection of Cyclospora, FDA laboratory experts re-reviewed the sample results and have concluded that the finding does not represent true amplification and should be considered a false positive,” the agency said.
Despite the update, Taylor Farms de Mexico, part of the larger Taylor Farms brand, continues to be at the center of the FDA’s investigation into the outbreak after the agency last week linked iceberg lettuce from a single supplier in Mexico to more than 1,600 cases of cyclosporiasis across Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Ohio, and West Virginia. That subset of cases in the larger outbreak occurred among people who reported eating at Taco Bell before becoming ill.
Taco Bell said it had removed all Taylor Farms lettuce from its U.S. restaurants and supply chain, reports Supply Chain Dive (July 21, 2026).
Taylor Farms, meanwhile, has voluntarily recalled all iceberg lettuce grown in central Mexico and will no longer source from the region for the remainder of the growing season. The recalled items included private-label shredded lettuce and iceberg salad packs sold at Walmart, but no Taylor Farms-branded products were involved, according to the company.
Classroom discussion questions:
- Supplement 6 in your Heizer/Render/Munson text is on the topic of Statistical Process Control. What tools could be used to manage this issue?
- What other famous outbreaks have been caused by lettuce?
