Taco Bell Lettuce Outbreak Linked to Taylor Farms Colorado Warehouse

Is the shredded iceberg lettuce in your Taco Bell causing diarrhea? Federal health officials say yes. They have traced a widespread outbreak of the parasite cyclospora to lettuce from Mexico served at Taco Bell locations across five states.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued the warning late Thursday. They advised consumers to avoid the specific ingredient in Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Ohio, and West Virginia. A record number of cyclospora cases have now been reported in more than 30 states.

The Food and Drug Administration identified a single supplier. The federal warnings did not name the company initially. Taylor Fresh Foods of Salinas, California, confirmed it was the source. FDA testing pointed to “a specific independent farm” affiliated with Taylor Farms.

This matters locally because Taylor Farms operates a distribution warehouse in Colorado Springs. If the lettuce is moving through that hub, it could be reaching Western Slope shelves and restaurants. The FDA stated they are working with the supplier to determine if contaminated lettuce remains on the market in other states.

Taylor Farms released a statement Friday afternoon. They are voluntarily removing all iceberg lettuce sourced from central Mexico from the U.S. market. The company called itself “family owned and operated.” They expressed concern for those who became ill and their families. They noted that Americans’ trust in fresh produce has been shaken.

This is not Taylor Farms’ first brush with trouble. The company was tied to a 2013 cyclospora outbreak linked to salad mix. In 2024, an E. coli outbreak tied to onions served at McDonald’s killed one person in Mesa County and sickened at least 25 others in Colorado. That outbreak was also linked to Taylor Farms.

The illness is not usually life-threatening. It is typically treated with antibiotics. However, the sheer number of cases is driving the investigation.

Officials stressed that other brands, restaurants, retailers, or distribution channels could be tied to the outbreak. The investigation is ongoing.

Michigan investigators are currently trying to determine if the lettuce went to other restaurants or stores. Many of the people who got sick said they did not eat at Taco Bell. This suggests the contaminated lettuce may have left the fast-food chain and entered other supply streams.

The short version: If you are in Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Ohio, or West Virginia, avoid the shredded iceberg lettuce at Taco Bell. If you are on the Western Slope, watch your local supply chains. Taylor Farms’ Colorado Springs warehouse is a key node. The lettuce from central Mexico is still moving.

The CDC noted that not every recent U.S. illness might be caused by a single source. But the link to the fast-food chain is now confirmed. The question for locals is whether that specific independent farm’s product has already passed through the Colorado Springs distribution center. If it has, cases may rise here before they fall.