Cyclospora Outbreak Tied to Taco Bell Lettuce Hits 9 States, Nearly 2,000 Ill

An outbreak of Cyclospora infections linked to iceberg lettuce from Taco Bell has spread to nine states, with nearly 1,947 cases and 98 hospitalizations reported as of July 24, 2026.

This article was drafted with AI assistance from multiple sources and was reviewed and approved by a human editor before publication.

A Cyclospora outbreak connected to iceberg lettuce served at Taco Bell has expanded to nine states, with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) reporting 1,947 infections and 98 hospitalizations as of July 24, 2026. No deaths have been recorded.

The affected states include Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Michigan, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia. Most infected individuals reported eating at Taco Bell before falling ill, and investigators identified shredded lettuce as the common source. The FDA traced the lettuce to supplier Taylor Farms de Mexico, which sourced it from central Mexico.

Taco Bell stopped using lettuce from Taylor Farms de Mexico on July 17, 2026. Taylor Farms subsequently removed all iceberg lettuce from that region from the U.S. market and issued a recall. The recall affects products distributed in the nine outbreak states, plus additional states listed on the FDA's website.

The FDA advises consumers, restaurants, and retailers to discard any recalled lettuce immediately. The agency expects confirmed cases to rise due to a potential lag of up to six weeks in laboratory confirmation of infections.

Other Cyclospora outbreaks in the U.S. have occurred with no identified source; North Carolina officials have previously pointed to cilantro and parsley as possible vehicles.