Nine-state Cyclospora Outbreak Linked to Mexican Lettuce Expands
The CDC has added Illinois, Kansas, Oklahoma and Pennsylvania to a multistate cyclospora outbreak tied to shredded iceberg lettuce from Taylor Farms de Mexico, expanding the nine-state cluster linked to Taco Bell. Investigators are tracing how contaminated product moved through the supply chain and whether more restaurants or retailers were affected. North Carolina is exploring parsley and cilantro as possible sources in some illnesses, while the FDA reports a separate outbreak with at least 72 cases. Nationally, confirmed Cyclospora cases have surged with thousands of illnesses already counted and many more under review; officials note that illness onset can occur weeks after exposure and contamination can happen pre-harvest or during processing.