Updated
Updated · PBS NewsHour · Jul 18
Sysco Halts Taylor Farms Mexican Lettuce Distribution as Cyclospora Sickens 1,645 in U.S.
Updated
Updated · PBS NewsHour · Jul 18

Sysco Halts Taylor Farms Mexican Lettuce Distribution as Cyclospora Sickens 1,645 in U.S.

3 articles · Updated · PBS NewsHour · Jul 18

Summary

  • Sysco told customers to destroy all Taylor Farms iceberg lettuce sourced from Mexico after halting distribution over a possible link to a multistate cyclospora outbreak.
  • Taylor Farms expanded a voluntary recall to 25 shredded lettuce and salad mix products under eight brand codes, shipped to 27 states as recently as Thursday with best-by dates through Aug. 3.
  • U.S. health officials earlier traced contaminated lettuce from a Mexican supplier to food served at Taco Bell locations in Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Ohio and West Virginia; Taco Bell said the ingredient is now out of its nationwide supply chain.
  • CDC data show 1,645 U.S. cases and 141 hospitalizations in 2026, with more than 5,000 additional illnesses under investigation, versus 249 reported cases at the same point last year.

Insights

How did lettuce from one small farm cause a health crisis across 27 states, evading modern safety checks?
Can new technology stop the next foodborne illness from a global supply chain before it even begins?