TL;DR
Get kitchen staples and gadgets delivered free with Prime
- Fast, free delivery on millions of items
- Prime Video, Amazon Music and more included
- Member-only deals all year
Taylor Farms CEO issued a statement outlining changes after a Cyclospora outbreak linked by FDA evidence to recalled shredded iceberg lettuce from the company’s Central Mexico operation. The company says it will suspend harvest and processing for U.S. and Canadian sales during the CDC-defined May-to-August season, expand monitoring and testing, and join prevention research. FDA has not established conclusively how contamination occurred or said the lettuce was definitively the cause.
Taylor Farms says it is suspending harvest and processing of iceberg lettuce from Central Mexico for U.S. and Canadian sales during the May-to-August Cyclospora season, among other steps announced after an outbreak sickened nearly 13,000 people. The FDA has linked its investigation to the company’s recalled shredded lettuce through epidemiological and traceback evidence, but says it does not have enough evidence to determine conclusively how contamination occurred.
In a statement issued October 8, Taylor Farms said it will indefinitely suspend harvest and processing of iceberg lettuce from Central Mexico for sale in the United States and Canada during the season defined by the CDC as running from May through August. The company also said it will expand year-round health monitoring and increase irrigation-water and crop testing in the region.
The company said it plans to invest in research and technology aimed at improving Cyclospora detection and prevention. It also plans to participate in a public-private task force involving the FDA, scientists, industry leaders and public health officials. Taylor Farms said it would continue working with the FDA on its Cyclospora Prevention, Response and Research Action Plan and share relevant updates on its website.
The outbreak sickened almost 13,000 people, according to the source report, with 560 hospitalizations and two deaths reported. Earlier in October, the FDA said it found Cyclospora in water from a Taylor Farms processing plant and in a drainage ditch on the property of a contract grower. Those findings added to the evidence connecting the outbreak to the company’s recalled shredded iceberg lettuce, but the agency stopped short of establishing the lettuce as the definitive cause.
Changes to Seasonal Lettuce Operations
The measures affect a defined supply route and sales period: Central Mexico-grown iceberg lettuce intended for U.S. and Canadian customers during the CDC’s May-to-August Cyclospora season. The company’s move may alter sourcing and production plans during those months, though Taylor Farms did not provide details on the scale of the affected operation or how it will meet demand.
For consumers and public health officials, the outbreak’s size and the FDA’s water-sample findings underscore the need to identify how Cyclospora entered the supply chain. Taylor Farms’ expanded testing and participation in a task force are intended to address prevention, but the company’s announcement does not itself establish the outbreak’s cause or show that the proposed measures have already reduced risk.
Popular right now
Samsung 85-Inch QN70H Neo QLED 4K Smart TV (2026)
Vitamix 5200 Professional-Grade Blender, 64 oz. Container, Black
Shark HydroVac MessMaster Corded Wet/Dry Vacuum, Mop & Self-Clean (WD161)
As an affiliate, we earn on qualifying purchases.
FDA Evidence and Outbreak Timeline
The FDA began investigating the outbreak in July 2026. Its later findings of Cyclospora in water at the company’s processing plant and in a drainage ditch at a contract grower’s property created an additional link to Taylor Farms lettuce. The agency described those findings as adding to strong epidemiological data and traceback convergence supporting a link to recalled shredded iceberg lettuce from Taylor Farms de Mexico.
That language indicates an evidence-based connection, not a final determination of precisely where or how contamination happened. The FDA said there was not enough evidence to show conclusively how contamination occurred. Taylor Farms’ statement also pointed to the agency’s position that the cause had not been definitively established. The company was founded 31 years ago and has grown into an international business reporting $1 billion in annual sales, according to the source report.
“This adds to the strong epidemiological data and traceback convergence supporting the link between this outbreak and recalled shredded iceberg lettuce from Taylor Farms de Mexico.”
— The FDA
Cause and Exposure Routes Undetermined
The FDA has not established how the contamination occurred, and its findings do not amount to a definitive determination that the lettuce caused every reported illness. The source report gives no further detail about when or how the water samples became contaminated, whether the findings identify a specific point in the supply chain, or what evidence could resolve those questions.
Taylor Farms did not specify when the seasonal suspension takes effect, how long it will last beyond saying it is indefinite, or the volume of lettuce affected. The company also did not provide a timeline, testing targets or measurable outcomes for its expanded monitoring and research investments. Those details, along with the status of the FDA investigation, remain unclear from the available statements.
Monitoring Company and FDA Updates
Taylor Farms says it will continue collaborating with the FDA as the agency carries out its Cyclospora Prevention, Response and Research Action Plan. The company says it will publish relevant updates on its website. The source report does not give a date for the next FDA announcement or a deadline for the task force’s work.
Readers should watch for further agency findings about the outbreak and any additional explanation of the contamination route. Updates from Taylor Farms may clarify the start and practical scope of the seasonal suspension, how increased water and crop testing will be carried out, and what results the company and public health officials report.
Key Questions
What steps has Taylor Farms announced?
The company says it will suspend harvest and processing of Central Mexico iceberg lettuce for U.S. and Canadian sales during the CDC-defined May-to-August season, expand year-round health monitoring and irrigation-water and crop testing, invest in research and technology, and join a public-private task force.
Did the FDA prove Taylor Farms lettuce caused the outbreak?
No. The FDA said its water findings added to epidemiological and traceback evidence linking the outbreak to recalled shredded iceberg lettuce from Taylor Farms de Mexico. It has not conclusively established how contamination occurred or said the lettuce was definitively the cause.
How severe was the outbreak?
The source report says almost 13,000 people were sickened, 560 were hospitalized and two deaths were reported. The report does not provide a more detailed breakdown of cases or their locations.
When will the seasonal suspension begin?
Taylor Farms described the suspension as applying during the CDC-defined Cyclospora season, which runs from May through August. The company’s statement, as reported, did not specify an effective date or further operational details.
Source: rss
