Taylor Fresh Foods is voluntarily recalling all iceberg lettuce sourced from central Mexico after a multistate Cyclospora outbreak, even as the Food and Drug Administration said Sunday that a lettuce sample previously believed to have tested positive was actually a false positive.
The recall includes certain Walmart Marketside-brand iceberg salad and shredded lettuce products with “Best if Used By” dates between July 18 and Aug. 3, 2026, as well as lettuce supplied to restaurants, including Taco Bell. Consumers are being told not to eat the recalled lettuce and to discard it or return it for a full refund.
The FDA said laboratory experts re-reviewed the sample results and determined the Taylor Farms lettuce sample should be considered a false positive. As of Sunday, the agency said there were no confirmed positive results from product testing for Cyclospora.
Taylor Farms said today the FDA apologized for the “mistake.”
“Today, we were informed that FDA made a mistake, and this was a false positive. To be clear, at this moment, FDA has not identified a single positive product test result for Cyclospora,” Taylor Farms said.
Taylor Farms said it initiated the voluntary recall after being told the lettuce sample tested positive for Cyclospora. The company said the false positive does not change its recall.
“Our thoughts remain with everyone who has fallen ill in this outbreak. We are committed to working with public health authorities as the ongoing outbreak investigation continues,” Taylor Farms said.
Cyclospora infections cause cyclosporiasis, an intestinal illness that can lead to frequent, watery diarrhea, severe stomach cramps, nausea and fatigue. Symptoms typically begin one to two weeks after consuming contaminated food and can last for weeks if untreated.
The recalled Walmart products include Marketside-brand 12-ounce and 24-ounce Iceberg Salad bags and 8-ounce and 16-ounce Shredded Lettuce.
People who ate shredded iceberg lettuce in the last two weeks and are experiencing symptoms should contact a health care provider immediately, according to the recall guidance.
For questions about the recall, consumers can contact Taylor Fresh Foods at 855-455-0098.
As of Tuesday last week, nearly 7,000 cyclosporiasis cases had been confirmed or were under investigation in the United States since May 1, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The CDC said the illness can cause severe watery diarrhea, fatigue and loss of appetite.
The FDA has directed consumers to check specific retail products and consult its Food Safety Outbreak Investigation for updates.
