Taco Bell Lettuce Supplier Taylor Farms Named as Likely Source of Cyclosporiasis Outbreak

Since Michigan health officials first flagged the cyclosporiasis cluster on May 1, the case count has climbed to 4,312 in that state alone, according to Reuters. Investigators now believe they've found the source: shredded iceberg lettuce supplied to Taco Bell by California-based Taylor Farms, according to the Washington Post, which cited two individuals familiar with the investigation.

Neither the CDC, the FDA, nor Taco Bell's parent company Yum Brands has publicly confirmed Taylor Farms as the cause. Reuters reported that Yum Brands and Taylor Farms did not immediately respond to requests for comment, and the Department of Health and Human Services, which oversees the FDA, also did not respond.

No federal agency has yet officially confirmed the link between Taylor Farms and the outbreak. The investigative trail reported so far, however, aligns with basic epidemiology: overlapping cases, a common ingredient, and a supplier chain that traces back to one company.

How they got there

One person familiar with the investigation told the Washington Post the signal was strong: "there is a very high percentage of people who got sick at Taco Bell, and when investigators asked what their menu items were in common, lettuce came up frequently," according to the New York Post's account of that reporting.

When the FDA pressed Taco Bell on where its lettuce comes from, Taylor Farms came back as the supplier for restaurants in Michigan and three other states, the states where the outbreak has hit hardest, according to that same source cited by the New York Post.

The CDC said earlier this week it had identified a likely link among cases in Michigan, Ohio, West Virginia and Kentucky, according to Reuters, suggesting a common source rather than scattered, unrelated exposures. Ohio and New York have also reported large numbers of infections, Reuters noted.

What Taco Bell has and hasn't said

Taco Bell pulled a limited number of ingredients from some restaurants earlier this week as a precaution, Reuters reported. But the company has been careful to stress that U.S. health authorities have not officially linked the outbreak to Taco Bell, to any specific menu item, or to any specific supplier.

A company voluntarily pulling ingredients out of caution is not the same as a confirmed contamination finding. Taco Bell's public position, as reported by Reuters, is that no regulatory body has made that determination yet. The sourcing behind the Taylor Farms link so far rests on anonymous investigators speaking to one newspaper, not a released government report.

FDA guidance reportedly coming

Bloomberg News separately reported that the FDA is expected to soon advise consumers to avoid shredded lettuce at Taco Bell locations in Michigan, Ohio, West Virginia, Kentucky and Indiana, according to Reuters' summary of that reporting. That guidance has not been issued as of Thursday, July 16.

Scale of the outbreak

More than 3,400 cases had been reported in Michigan as of Thursday according to the New York Post's earlier count, though Reuters' Thursday figure puts the state total at 4,312. Over 100 people have been hospitalized in Michigan, the New York Post reported.

Cyclosporiasis is a parasitic intestinal infection contracted through food or water contaminated with feces, typically raw produce, according to Reuters. Symptoms include watery diarrhea, nausea, cramping and fatigue that can drag on for weeks without treatment. It's not usually fatal in otherwise healthy adults, but the sheer case volume this year is unusual. Reuters noted the U.S. has seen cyclosporiasis outbreaks before, but the scale and geographic spread this time is significantly larger, which is why health officials are paying close attention.

What's still unresolved

No federal agency has issued an official statement naming Taylor Farms or confirming lettuce as the vehicle. Forbes noted it reached out to Taco Bell, Taylor Farms and the CDC for comment and had not received responses as of publication Thursday evening. Whether the FDA's anticipated consumer advisory actually drops in the coming days, and whether it names Taylor Farms directly, will be the next concrete marker in this investigation. Until then, the link remains a strong lead reported through anonymous sources, not a closed case.