• by Tanya Gazdik , July 30, 2026

Lettuce has been linked to the outbreak of cyclosporiasis -- which can cause diarrhea and other gastrointestinal issues -- by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

As a result, many consumers are cooking for themselves and avoiding some produce. 

“U.S. consumers are steering clear of some restaurant chains and buying less lettuce in grocery stores as a multi-state outbreak of a parasitic disease fuels confusion over what is safe to eat, according to foot traffic data and industry sources,” reports Reuters. “The U.S. Food and ‌Drug Administration has linked the outbreak of cyclosporiasis to iceberg lettuce that was served at Taco Bell restaurants and sourced from privately held Taylor Farms' operations in central Mexico. But cases have continued to rise even after Taylor Farms said it removed all potentially affected products from the marketplace. The increase has stoked uncertainty and fears about other products that may be infecting people with the disease that causes explosive, watery diarrhea.”

The Centers for Disease Control reported 6,707 laboratory-confirmed cases nationwide since May 1.

“A CBS News poll found that 4 in 10 people say they are now buying or eating less produce to avoid the “explosive diarrhea” parasite that causes cyclosporiasis,” according to Syracuse.com. “More than 11,000 cases reported earlier this month across multiple states were linked to iceberg lettuce, while other smaller outbreaks have been tied to parsley and cilantro.”

Cases have now been recorded in 45 states, up from 41 states last week. More than 11,500 additional probable cases, mainly in Michigan and Ohio, remain unconfirmed by laboratories.

Taco Bell, which was one of the first restaurants that stopped using Taylor Farms-supplied shredded lettuce, has been running deals on its lettuce-free items like Mexican Pizza and Enchiritos.

“Customers are coming back to Taco Bell, just weeks after it became the focus of a widespread outbreak of cyclosporiasis and saw a dramatic dip in sales,” executives from its parent company, Yum! Brands told The Washington Post. “While traffic to the fast-food chain dropped in mid-July as news of the outbreak spread and health officials traced some of the illnesses to Taco Bell’s shredded iceberg lettuce, early indications show at least a partial rebound, the company’s leadership said in a call to discuss second-quarter financial results for Yum!