Foodborne illness investigations are again drawing national attention as federal agencies track a multistate cyclospora outbreak. This week, Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. said the outbreak was “under control” even as the CDC and FDA continued to investigate at least 1,600 reported illnesses in five states. The outbreak has been linked by federal health officials to shredded iceberg lettuce served at some Taco Bell locations.
RFK Jr. says the outbreak is contained, but the case count is already large
Kennedy said on Tuesday, July 21, that federal officials have the cyclospora outbreak “under control,” according to his remarks to ABC News. He also said investigators had identified the source and that recalls had already been put in place with the companies involved. Federal health officials have tied the outbreak to shredded iceberg lettuce supplied by Taylor Farms and sourced from central Mexico.
The CDC and FDA have said at least 1,600 people in five states have been sickened in the outbreak. The FDA has also said it investigated five separate clusters of cyclosporiasis cases. Taylor Farms voluntarily recalled dozens of lettuce products across 27 states, and the company stated it will stop sourcing iceberg lettuce from central Mexico for the rest of the growing season.
Over the weekend, the FDA said a lettuce sample tested positive for Cyclospora, but the agency later stated that result was a false positive after a re-review. Taylor Farms said Sunday that it had been informed the FDA made a mistake. Even with that correction, federal officials have said the broader investigation remains active.
What is confirmed across states, and what is still not known
The confirmed multistate outbreak involves five states, according to federal health officials. The CDC and FDA have linked those illnesses to shredded iceberg lettuce at some Taco Bell locations. Health officials have also said domestically acquired infections are being reported in 29 other states, but no additional source has been identified for those cases.
That leaves several open questions for residents and diners across the country. Federal agencies have not released a full public breakdown in this report of all affected Taco Bell locations by state. Officials also have not publicly identified another food item or supplier connected to the domestically acquired cases outside the confirmed outbreak clusters.
For now, the clearest confirmed action is the Taylor Farms recall covering dozens of lettuce products in 27 states. The company also said it would not source iceberg lettuce from central Mexico for the rest of the season. That means the public record currently points to one identified lettuce source, while the broader case picture remains under review.
Why officials are still watching for more cases
One reason the numbers may keep changing is that health officials are still investigating illnesses beyond the five confirmed clusters. The CDC has said additional cases can be identified as state and federal partners continue reviewing reports. Kennedy said criticism of the response was “invalid” and stated that surveillance and forensic work are still continuing.
The federal response has also drawn scrutiny from Sen. Jon Ossoff of Georgia. In a letter sent last week, Ossoff said the CDC’s FoodNet system no longer requires reporting the parasite that causes cyclosporiasis. The CDC ended mandatory reporting last year, and beginning July 1, 2025, reporting became optional for all pathogens except Salmonella and Shiga toxin-producing E. coli.
Kennedy said there were cuts to FoodNet but described them as cuts to “redundant surveillance.” He also said federal agencies are still conducting surveillance and forensics in this area. For customers and residents, the practical takeaway is that recalls are already underway, the identified lettuce source has been addressed, and federal agencies are still tracking whether the national case count grows.
