Federal health regulators closed their inquiry into a multistate cyclosporiasis outbreak tied to iceberg lettuce harvested in central Mexico, after finding the parasite in environmental wastewater and drainage samples at facilities associated with the supply chain.
The outbreak prompted voluntary market withdrawals by Taylor Farms de Mexico. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention declared the event over on September 11, 2026, according to an update issued by the Food and Drug Administration on October 2, 2026.
The traceback effort successfully isolated environmental evidence of the parasite at foreign production sites. The FDA conducted onsite inspections alongside Mexican officials at multiple iceberg lettuce growers and a processing facility.
Regulators Find Parasite in Mexican Drainage Samples
The agency’s traceback investigation pinpointed several farms and a processing facility in Mexico that supplied lettuce distributed by Taylor Fresh Foods. Laboratory testing identified two positive samples for Cyclospora during inspections involving water, soil, sediment, and lettuce sampling.
One positive sample came from a tank holding outgoing wastewater at the Taylor Farms de Mexico processing facility. The second positive sample was gathered from a drainage ditch at an iceberg lettuce grower linked through the traceback work.
Recall Scope and Affected Markets
Taylor Farms de Mexico removed all iceberg lettuce sourced from central Mexico from the United States market on July 17, 2026. Retail products sold under the Marketside brand at Walmart were affected, including Iceberg Salad 12-oz or 24-oz
and Shredded Lettuce 8-oz or 16-oz
with Best if Used By dates ranging from July 18, 2026, to August 3, 2026.
Retail distribution of these Marketside products reached select Walmart stores in Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Missouri, Mississippi, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, and West Virginia.
Distribution of recalled iceberg lettuce products from Taylor Fresh Foods spanned between June 29 and July 16 across 31 states: Alabama, Arkansas, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Maine, Maryland, Michigan, Missouri, Mississippi, North Carolina, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, Wisconsin, and West Virginia. Additional distribution potentially reached Washington, D.C., Delaware, North Dakota, Puerto Rico, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Vermont, and Washington.
Taco Bell stopped using lettuce sourced from Taylor Farms de Mexico starting July 17, 2026. Regulators emphasize that the recalled items are no longer available in stores or restaurants because the best-by dates have long since passed.
Cyclospora Infection Triggers Watery Diarrhea and Cramps
Infection with Cyclospora typically causes watery diarrhea characterized by frequent bowel movements. Additional common symptoms include loss of appetite, weight loss, stomach cramps or pain, bloating, increased gas, nausea, and fatigue. Some individuals may experience vomiting, body aches, headaches, and fever, while others infected with the parasite exhibit no symptoms at all.
Without treatment, the illness can provoke dehydration and severe complications lasting from a few days to a month or longer, with symptoms potentially recurring in relapses. Immunocompromised individuals face risks of more severe illness, prolonged duration, and complications demanding close medical attention.
Health authorities recommend that anyone experiencing symptoms of cyclosporiasis contact a healthcare provider to report their illness and seek care, particularly if they consumed shredded iceberg lettuce in the two weeks prior to becoming ill. Consumers who previously purchased the affected goods are advised to clean and sanitize any surfaces or containers that touched the products.
How the Cyclospora parasite originally contaminated the wastewater and drainage samples at the Mexican agricultural facilities remains unknown.
