The CEO of Taylor Farms, Bruce Taylor, has broken his silence regarding a multi-state outbreak of cyclospora, a parasite that has caused widespread illness and led to a class-action lawsuit against his company and Taco Bell. Taylor voiced frustration over being excluded from the outbreak investigation process, stating that "Americans are afraid and avoiding healthy fresh food to their own detriment."
The outbreak, being investigated by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Food and Drug Administration, has been linked to iceberg lettuce sourced from central Mexico and recalled by Taylor Farms de Mexico. The FDA's traceback investigation identified a convergence on a single supplier, Taylor Farms de Mexico, which provided shredded iceberg lettuce used by Taco Bell locations where sick individuals ate.
Despite an initial FDA report of a false positive in a lettuce sample from Taylor Farms, the agency clarified that this did not alter the basis of their investigation or the epidemiological data supporting the voluntary recall. The FDA continues to emphasize that traceback data and outbreak information point to shredded iceberg lettuce from Taylor Farms, grown by its partners in central Mexico.
In response to the outbreak, Taco Bell removed the implicated lettuce from its restaurants. Taylor Farms issued a broad voluntary recall of its iceberg lettuce sourced from the region and has since suspended all iceberg lettuce sourcing and production from central Mexico. The company also announced it has commissioned independent experts to conduct a comprehensive review of food safety processes at its facility in central Mexico. As of July 18, Taylor Farms temporarily suspended production of all products, not just iceberg lettuce.
On July 23, two individuals filed a class-action lawsuit against Taylor Farms and Taco Bell, alleging they were sold products from the fast-food chain that were subsequently linked to the outbreak. The lawsuit claims that consumers were served food unfit for sale.
Taylor Farms stated that as of July 24, there were no confirmed positive sample results for cyclospora in product testing, according to the FDA. The company continues to collaborate with health authorities, customers, and farming partners to address the issue.