Taylor Farms pulls iceberg lettuce from central Mexico tied to US parasite outbreak

Taylor Farms said Friday that it is voluntarily removing all iceberg lettuce sourced from central Mexico tied to the US parasite outbreak.

*The company said the decision follows information provided by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) indicating that traceback efforts had identified a specific independent farm in central Mexico as the potential source of the outbreak.

"As a family owned and operated company, we are deeply concerned for those who became ill, their families, and the many Americans whose trust in the safety of their fresh produce has been shaken. That trust is something we’ve worked for decades to earn, and we are committed to doing everything in our power to restore that confidence," the company said in a statement.

"Based on information provided yesterday by the FDA, Taylor Farms de Mexico is voluntarily removing all iceberg lettuce sourced from central Mexico.”

The California-based lettuce supplier stressed that none of its branded salad products have been linked to the outbreak.

"No Taylor Farms branded salads or kits are associated with this outbreak," it said, adding that none of those salad kits contain iceberg lettuce at all.

The company said the farm identified by the FDA represents less than 1% of the US iceberg lettuce supply but that it had decided to remove all iceberg lettuce from the region indefinitely as a precaution.

Earlier, Taylor Farms told US regulators it would remove products connected to the cyclosporiasis outbreak.

Outbreak in 5 states

The outbreak has caused diarrhea-related illnesses in more than 4,300 customers who ate at Taco Bell restaurants in Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Ohio, and West Virginia.

Most of the reported cases were in Michigan in the Upper Midwest. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, meanwhile, has confirmed 1,645 cases of cyclosporiasis across 34 states.

The FDA said Friday that consumers should avoid shredded iceberg lettuce from Mexico served at Taco Bell locations in the five affected states while the investigation continues.

"At this time, we are advising consumers to avoid eating shredded iceberg lettuce from Mexico served at Taco Bell locations” in Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Ohio, and West Virginia, the agency said on US social media platform X. "FDA is investigating with CDC and state partners to determine if additional products may be contributing to this outbreak."

Cyclosporiasis can cause severe diarrhea, fatigue, and nausea, with symptoms often appearing up to two weeks after exposure, complicating efforts to identify the source of the outbreak, Bloomberg reported.

Separately, a customer who became ill has filed a lawsuit against a Taco Bell franchise in Ohio.

Mohammed Ayyad said he ate three meals at a Taco Bell restaurant in the Cleveland area between June 14 and June 21, became ill on June 23, and tested positive for the parasitic infection on July 9.

According to the complaint filed Thursday in the US District Court for the Northern District of Ohio, Ayyad is seeking damages from franchise operator Pacific Bells LLC, alleging violations of Ohio product liability and consumer protection laws, as well as breach of warranty.