WASHINGTON, D.C. — Taylor Farms requested that the White House delay a public announcement linking its products to a multi-state cyclospora outbreak while the company sought additional time to contest findings from federal investigators. The produce supplier contacted the White House to ask for more time before the government publicly connected the company to the illness cluster.

Former Food and Drug Administration commissioner Dr. Scott Gottlieb characterized the move as a departure from established norms for handling food safety recalls. Appearing on a CBS interview program, Gottlieb discussed the request by Taylor Farms to the White House.

"It was not standard operating procedure," Gottlieb said. He noted that he managed responses to previous outbreaks involving romaine lettuce, spinach, and E. coli without receiving similar requests from the executive branch.

"I never heard from the White House on those things, other than to have discussions to inform them of what we were doing, so that they were properly briefed and could respond to questions that they were getting," Gottlieb said. The White House subsequently asked FDA officials to join a call with Taylor Farms executives.

During the call, the company argued that federal investigators lacked positive laboratory evidence connecting its products to the outbreak. Taylor Farms expressed concerns that the government was overstating the company’s responsibility for the illness cluster. According to a person familiar with the matter, Taylor Farms sought the meeting because executives believed they had not received sufficient clarity from the FDA regarding the evidence supporting a potential recall and its scope.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the FDA are investigating a cyclosporiasis outbreak that has expanded to nine states. The CDC reported at least 1,947 infections associated with the states under investigation, all of which were linked to exposure to Taco Bell. At least 98 of the reported cases required hospitalization, though no deaths have been reported in connection with the outbreak.

The agency stated that the increase in cases is partly due to the identification and addition of four new states to the investigation. The CDC expects the number of confirmed cases to continue to rise despite the recall because it can take up to six weeks for officials to determine if a sick person is part of the outbreak. Michigan health officials reported that cases in the state topped 8,000 as of Friday.

Illinois is among the nine states included in the investigation, with health officials reporting 513 confirmed and probable cases as of July 23. Dr. Sameer Vohra, director of the Illinois Department of Public Health, stated that his agency has been closely monitoring the multi-state outbreak. "July case reports are rising at a level we have not seen since 2018," Vohra said.

Taylor Farms de Mexico initiated a voluntary recall of all iceberg lettuce from central Mexico on July 17. The FDA stated on that date that a traceback investigation identified convergence on the single supplier, which provided shredded iceberg lettuce used by Taco Bell locations where sick people ate. The FDA reported that Taco Bell is no longer using lettuce from Taylor Farms de Mexico.

Iceberg lettuce from Taylor Fresh Foods was distributed to food service locations from June 29 through July 16 in multiple states. The recalled lettuce was also sold at select Walmart stores in multiple states. Taylor Farms clarified that the recall remains in effect and that the company is no longer sourcing iceberg lettuce from central Mexico for the growing season.

Controversy emerged regarding laboratory testing results during the investigation. The FDA issued an update stating that lettuce not part of the recall had tested positive for cyclospora, but the agency later deleted that line and identified the test as a false positive. The FDA stated that the false-positive lab sample does not change the basis for the ongoing investigation or the epidemiological data supporting the recall.

Despite the agency's stance, Taylor Farms stated on its website that the FDA had not identified a single positive product test result for Cyclospora at that moment. A statement on the company's website read, "Today, FDA apologized to us," although no public information confirmed an apology. Taylor Farms stated that as of July 24, 2026, there were no confirmed positive sample results for product testing.

A Taylor Farms spokesperson stated that the company issued an urgent recall of potentially affected produce out of an abundance of caution. "When questions were raised about the source of the recent Cyclospora outbreak, we immediately removed all potentially implicated product from the marketplace, and out of an abundance of caution we issued an even broader recall of all iceberg lettuce sourced from the region," the spokesperson said. The spokesperson added that the company voluntarily suspended all iceberg lettuce sourcing and production from central Mexico.

Bruce Taylor, chief executive of Taylor Farms, expressed frustration to lawmakers about being excluded from the outbreak investigation process. "Americans are afraid and avoiding healthy fresh food to their own detriment," Bruce Taylor said. The company stated it has commissioned independent experts to conduct a top-to-bottom review of food safety processes and protocols in its central Mexico facility.

A Taylor Farms spokesperson stated that the company invests more than $200 million annually into independently audited food safety protocols. "We are passionate about helping people live healthier lives through fresh produce, and the safety of our food is paramount," the spokesperson said. Taylor Farms is an American-based producer of fresh-cut fruits and vegetables that was established in 1995.

Legal action followed the outbreak announcements. Two people filed a class-action lawsuit against Taylor Farms and Taco Bell on July 23, alleging they were sold products connected to the outbreak. The lawsuit claims the defendants sold food that was not fit for sale.

"Food that bears or contains a poisonous or deleterious substance, or that is prepared, packed, or held under insanitary conditions whereby it may have become contaminated, is adulterated under 21 U.S.C. § 342 and cannot lawfully enter commerce," the lawsuit stated. The FDA continues to encourage the public to avoid all products listed in the voluntary recall.