The CEO of the California produce giant linked to the diarrhea-inducing parasite exploding across the country is speaking out after his company was hit with a class-action lawsuit over the outbreak.
The multi-state spread of cyclosporiasis, which is 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,” according to the FDA.
Bruce Taylor, chief executive of the Salinas-based company, spoke out about the farm being named as the source of the explosive diarrhea outbreak after expressing frustration to lawmakers about “being excluded from the outbreak investigation process,” according to Forbes.
“Americans are afraid and avoiding healthy fresh food to their own detriment,” Taylor said.
The cross-country outbreak has infected thousands of patients who were hit with cyclospora linked to lettuce served at Taco Bell, the Food and Drug Administration revealed on July 17.
In the report, the agency said a traceback investigation “identified convergence on a single supplier, Taylor Farms de Mexico, that provided shredded iceberg lettuce used by Taco Bell locations where sick people ate before becoming ill.”
However, the FDA then reported a false positive in a lettuce sample from the produce giant.
“To clarify, this false-positive lab sample DOES NOT change the basis for FDA’s ongoing outbreak investigation or the overwhelming epidemiological data supporting the current voluntary recall by Taylor Farms,” the FDA wrote on its website.
“FDA’s traceback investigation and outbreak data continue to converge on shredded iceberg lettuce from Taylor Farms from growers in central Mexico. We encourage the public to continue to avoid all products listed in Taylor Farms’ voluntary recall.”
Taco Bell removed affected Taylor Farms lettuce from its restaurants. Meanwhile, Taylor Farms issued an extensive voluntary recall list.
“When questions were raised about the source of the recent Cyclospora outbreak, we immediately removed all potentially implicated product from the marketplace, and out of an abundance of caution we issued an even broader recall of all iceberg lettuce sourced from the region,” a press release from Taylor Farms on Friday read.
“We have also voluntarily suspended all iceberg lettuce sourcing and production from central Mexico.”
The company said it has also commissioned independent experts to conduct a “top-to-bottom review of food safety processes and protocols in our central Mexico facility” and, as of July 18, they “temporarily suspended production of all products, not just iceberg lettuce.”
“We continue to work with health authorities, customers, and independent farming partners to address this issue,” per the update.
“According to the FDA, there are no confirmed positive sample results for product testing for Cyclospora as of July 24, 2026,” it added.
On July 23, two people filed a class-action lawsuit against Taylor Farms and Taco Bell alleging they were sold products from the fast-food chain that were later connected to the outbreak. They also claim they and others were served food that wasn’t fit for sale.
“Food that bears or contains a poisonous or deleterious substance, or that is prepared, packed, or held under insanitary conditions whereby it may have become contaminated, is adulterated under 21 U.S.C. § 342 and cannot lawfully enter commerce,” the suit said.
“Defendants nonetheless sold that lettuce to consumers as ordinary, wholesome food.”
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