If you became ill after eating at Taco Bell or eating recalled Taylor Farms de Mexico iceberg lettuce, our lawyers can review whether your illness fits this outbreak. The lettuce also reached grocery stores and other restaurants.
CDC declared the outbreak over on September 11, 2026, with 12,883 illnesses in 21 states, at least 570 hospitalizations and two deaths reported in Michigan. Illnesses began June 14 through August 17. FDA’s investigation continues.
Which Lettuce Was Linked to the Outbreak?
CDC linked shredded iceberg lettuce served at Taco Bell to the outbreak, and FDA traced it to Taylor Farms de Mexico. Taylor Fresh Foods recalled all iceberg lettuce sourced from central Mexico on July 17. Taco Bell stopped using the implicated supplier’s lettuce that day. Not every Taco Bell location received it, and Taco Bell did not issue a separate recall.
The recall included Marketside Iceberg Salad and Shredded Lettuce sold at select Walmart stores in 15 states, with Best if Used By dates from July 18 to August 3, 2026. Other products went to foodservice customers. FDA confirms U.S. distribution in 31 states overall, plus sales in Mexico, with possible further distribution not yet confirmed. The recalled-product section lists the relevant packaging and dates.
CDC says the recalled lettuce is no longer available in stores or restaurants. If you became ill after eating it, whether at Taco Bell, at home or elsewhere, our team can review the exposure, medical records and other available evidence.
Filing a Taco Bell or Taylor Farms Lawsuit
Depending on the evidence and applicable law, a claim may involve the restaurant, a supplier or both. Compensation may include medical expenses, lost income, pain and suffering, and other losses.
Ron Simon & Associates has filed the first lawsuit in the nation against Taco Bell and Taylor Farms over this outbreak and represents hundreds of people sickened across the country. Filed on July 17, 2026 in Mahoning County, Ohio, the case names Taco Bell, Taylor Fresh Foods, Inc. d/b/a Taylor Farms, and franchise operator Charter Foods. FDA’s identified supplier, Taylor Farms de Mexico, and the Taylor Farms entity named in the complaint are distinct.
The client, David Ott, served 27 years in the United States Army. After eating Taco Supremes at a Youngstown Taco Bell on June 18 and June 20, he was hospitalized for two days before laboratory testing confirmed Cyclospora.
Ron Simon said: “David Ott gave twenty-seven years of his life to this country. He should not have had to spend his summer vacation in a hospital bed because a lettuce supplier and a national restaurant chain failed to keep a parasite out of the food they sold him. Cyclospora does not appear in food by accident. It gets there when produce is grown, washed, or handled in contact with human or animal feces. In this litigation, we will make sure that all of our clients are fully and fairly compensated, we will find out exactly how the lettuce became contaminated, and we will make sure that Taco Bell and Taylor Farms take the steps necessary to ensure that this never happens again.”
Why the National Count Is Larger
The more than 35,000 reports shown on this page describe broader national surveillance, not just the lettuce outbreak. With data through September 8, CDC reported:
- 19,595 lab-confirmed cases acquired in the United States, across 49 states and the District of Columbia, with 1,043 hospitalizations.
- 9,355 additional lab-confirmed cases still being checked for U.S. or travel-associated exposure.
- At least 6,149 additional cases without laboratory confirmation or pending interview.
Those categories together exceed 35,000, but CDC says they include illnesses unrelated to this outbreak. They must not be read as 35,000 people sickened by Taco Bell or Taylor Farms.
Michigan accounted for 5,762 of the 12,883 outbreak cases, and Ohio for 2,871. Our Michigan and Ohio pages explain how our team helps people in those states.
What Is Known About the Two Deaths?
CDC’s final outbreak count includes two deaths reported in Michigan. FDA and Michigan’s health department say both people had significant underlying health conditions that may have been affected by cyclosporiasis and dehydration. Both became ill before the July 17 recall.
No agency has said the recalled lettuce directly caused either death or that cyclosporiasis was the sole cause. Michigan has not named a particular supplier in its separate statewide investigation. A family seeking a wrongful-death review needs an assessment of its own medical evidence, not an assumption based on the outbreak totals.
What Evidence Can Help?
Medical records, available test results, meal dates, receipts and app or delivery orders can help connect an illness to an exposure. Our Cyclospora lawyer page explains the infection and legal issues in more detail.
FDA’s findings rely on illness patterns and supply-chain evidence. A July lettuce sample was reclassified as a false positive, and no confirmed positive product sample has been announced. Genetic testing linked parasites from sick people to one another, not directly to a positive lettuce sample. FDA says its investigation remains supported despite the retracted result.