- A cyclospora outbreak, linked to shredded iceberg lettuce from mega produce supplier Taylor Farms, has sickened over 10,000 people across 15 states this summer.
- The parasite, which causes severe diarrhea, has resulted in more than 500 hospitalizations and two deaths, with the fatalities occurring in Michigan among individuals with underlying health conditions.
- Investigations revealed that the contaminated lettuce originated from central Mexico, and many patients in affected states, including Missouri, reported consuming Taco Bell products supplied with lettuce from Taylor Farms.
- Taylor Farms initiated a recall of all iceberg lettuce sourced from central Mexico on July 17, a decision upheld by the FDA despite a subsequent test for cyclospora yielding a 'false positive' result.
- Taco Bell's parent company, Yum Brands, reported a 2 percent decline in sales for its current fiscal quarter, directly attributing the decrease to the ongoing cyclospora outbreak.
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