10

Loading video...

By Anna Skinner

Associate News Editor

0

Share

Newsweek is a Trust Project member

See more of our trusted coverage when you search.Prefer Newsweek on Googleto see more of our trusted coverage when you search.

Taylor Farms has been linked to a series of recalls and foodborne illness investigations over the past 17 years, involving pathogens including salmonella, E. coli and cyclospora. The produce giant is facing renewed scrutiny this year after federal investigators traced a widespread cyclospora outbreak to shredded iceberg lettuce supplied by Taylor Farms de Mexico, while a separate salmonella investigation this year also drew attention to the company's products.

A review published by food safety attorney Bill Marler compiled recalls and outbreak investigations involving Taylor Farms dating back to 2009, including incidents that sickened hundreds of people as well as several high-profile outbreaks that did not result in recalls. Marler has represented people alleging injury from the outbreak claims.

The history includes outbreaks linked to shredded lettuce, bagged salad mixes, romaine lettuce and yellow onions, among other items, with some investigations resulting in recalls and others ending without definitive confirmation of the source. The timeline provides a broader look at the company's food safety record as regulators continue to investigate produce-related illnesses in 2026.

Read More on U.S.

While the recent cyclospora outbreak has the hallmark symptom of explosive diarrhea, past outbreaks go beyond uncomfortable digestive symptoms, Marler told Newsweek. In one case, two children experienced kidney failure.

“These are very serious claims,” he said.

...

Taylor Farms Timeline Shows Past Outbreaks, Recalls

Taylor Farms has disputed links to several outbreaks included in the timeline, arguing in some cases that available evidence did not conclusively establish its products as the source of illnesses. In the current cyclospora outbreak, the company said Food and Drug Administration (FDA) investigators had reached a "false positive" conclusion before later apologizing for aspects of its response, while the agency maintained that its traceback evidence supported the link to Taylor Farms de Mexico. The disagreement echoes disputes that have surfaced in previous investigations, including some outbreaks that resulted in recalls and others that did not.

"We are deeply concerned for everyone who has fallen ill and their families. As a family company, this is personal to us," a Taylor Farms spokesperson told Newsweek. "Taylor Farms has operated for more than 30 years and produces billions of servings of safe, high-quality fresh produce annually. Throughout, the company has been at the forefront of advances in food safety. We have cooperated fully with regulators in any instance where food safety concerns were raised, taking corrective action where warranted. For this recall, we have acted voluntarily, moved more broadly than required, and will continue to be transparent as more information becomes available."

"Today, we invest more than $200 million annually in food safety, our biggest area of funding by several orders of magnitude," the statement continued. "We were one of the original funders of the Center for Produce Safety, investing millions in its ongoing research. We also support and adhere to the high food safety standards set by the Food Traceability Rule, having implemented traceback protocols across our operations ahead of the compliance deadline."

2009 Salmonella Outbreak Linked to Shredded Lettuce

Date: 2009
Product: Shredded lettuce
People sickened: 145 in the western U.S., plus at least 12 in Canada
Recall status: No recall issued

The earliest outbreak highlighted in the Marler review dates to 2009, when a salmonella outbreak linked to shredded lettuce sickened at least 157 people in the United States and Canada. The report says investigators traced the illnesses to lettuce supplied through food service channels and suspected the source of contamination was tied to processing operations. A recall was not issued.

2013 Cyclospora Outbreak Tied to Bagged Salad Mix

Date: June-August 2013
Product: Bagged salad mix
People sickened: 631 across 25 states
Recall status: No recall issued

In 2013, a cyclospora outbreak affecting 631 people across 25 states prompted an FDA inspection of a Taylor Farms de Mexico facility in Guanajuato. State investigators in Iowa and Nebraska linked several restaurant-associated illnesses to salad mix supplied by the company at Red Lobster and Olive Garden, although officials never conclusively tied all cases nationwide to the same product. No recall was announced, though the facility reportedly suspended production during the investigation.

2015 E. Coli Outbreak and Celery-Onion Recall

Date: November 2015
Product: Celery and onion diced blend used in Costco chicken salad
People sickened: 19 in seven states
Recall status: Recall issued

In 2015, an E. coli outbreak linked to Costco chicken salad resulted in 19 illnesses in seven states, including several hospitalizations and two cases of hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS), a rare but serious complication that can occur after infection with certain strains of E. coli. It can damage the kidneys and other organs, and in severe cases may lead to kidney failure, requiring dialysis or a kidney transplant. One patient allegedly required a kidney transplant, according to the Marler report.

The investigation centered on a celery-and-onion blend produced by Taylor Farms Pacific, leading to a recall that expanded to more than 155,000 products sold by major retailers. The company later disputed the findings after follow-up FDA testing failed to confirm the pathogen in product samples.

Related Story



Cyclospora Outbreaks Will Only Get Worse As Climate Chaos Grows | Opinion

2021 Romaine Lettuce E. Coli Cluster

Date: November 2021
Product: Romaine lettuce
People sickened: Four reported cases discussed in the investigation
Recall status: No recall issued

The article describes a small E. coli cluster involving people who ate romaine lettuce at Panera Bread and Chipotle locations. Investigators reportedly traced the lettuce back to Taylor Farms, but no recall was announced, and no public CDC advisory was issued.

2023 Cyclospora Investigation in Colorado

Date: May 2023
Product: Fresh produce served at Taco del Gnar in Ridgway, Colorado
People sickened: Not specified
Recall status: No recall issued

Colorado health officials investigated cyclospora infections among patrons of a single restaurant. Fresh produce was implicated, and the report says the supply chain led back to Taylor Farms. A specific case count was not provided in the public investigation materials cited by the blog, and no recall followed.

2024 McDonald's Onion E. Coli Outbreak

Date: October-December 2024
Product: Slivered yellow onions
People sickened: 104 in 14 states
Recall status: Recall initiated for foodservice customers

This outbreak sickened 104 people, hospitalized 34, caused four cases of HUS and was linked to one death in Colorado. FDA traceback work identified onions served on McDonald's Quarter Pounders as the likely source. Taylor Farms voluntarily recalled yellow onions and notified food service customers directly. However, the article notes that no consumer-facing recall notice was issued.

2024 Romaine Lettuce E. Coli Outbreak

Date: November 2024
Product: Romaine lettuce
People sickened: 89 in 15 states
Recall status: No recall issued

The outbreak sickened 89 people, leading to 36 hospitalizations, seven cases of HUS and one death. According to the article, CDC and FDA closed the investigation without publicly identifying the company involved, but subsequent court filings linked the romaine lettuce supply chain to Taylor Farms. The company has disputed the allegation. No recall was announced.

“Taylor Farms product was not the source of the referenced 2024 E. coli outbreak,” the company said in a statement sent to The Packer at the time. “We perform extensive raw and finished product testing on all our product and there was no evidence of contamination. Any reporting that connects Taylor Farms products to these heartbreaking illnesses is dangerous, irresponsible and unfair to the impacted families.”

2026 Cyclospora Outbreak and Iceberg Lettuce Recall

Date: May-July 2026
Product: Shredded iceberg lettuce
People sickened: CDC-confirmed 6,358 cases across 15 states
Recall status: Recall issued

The ongoing cyclospora outbreak was traced by FDA investigators to shredded iceberg lettuce supplied by Taylor Farms de Mexico. Two people have died in Michigan. Of 10,468 CDC-confirmed cases nationwide and thousands more reported, federal traceback investigations have linked 6,358 of the cyclospora cases across 15 states to Taylor Farms. The company recalled central Mexico iceberg lettuce on July 17, 2026, after traceback investigations linked the ingredient to Taco Bell locations in multiple states. The recall also included Marketside-branded consumer products sold through Walmart stores.

However, Taylor Farms has disputed the FDA's conclusion that its shredded iceberg lettuce was the source of the outbreak, saying the agency's findings amounted to a "false positive." The FDA has stood by its traceback investigation and said it remains confident that the evidence linked the outbreak to lettuce supplied by Taylor Farms de Mexico.

2026 Salmonella Recall Linked to Jalapeño Peppers

Date: August 2026
Product: Prepared foods containing recalled jalapeño peppers
People sickened: Taylor Farms said it was not aware of any illnesses linked to its products at the time of the recall
Recall status: Recall issued

Taylor Fresh Foods announced a recall of a range of ready-to-eat products made with jalapeño peppers after supplier Coast Citrus Distributors recalled fresh jalapeños over potential salmonella contamination. According to Taylor Farms, federal and state health officials were investigating a multistate salmonella outbreak linked to fresh jalapeños, and a grower in Sinaloa, Mexico, that supplied Coast Citrus was identified as a potential source. The company said it had stopped sourcing from that grower and shifted to alternative suppliers.

The recall affected numerous salsa, dip, guacamole, sandwich and prepared-food products sold through retailers including Walmart, Target, Trader Joe's, Whole Foods, Kroger, Hannaford and Stop & Shop in more than two dozen states. Taylor Farms said that, as of the recall announcement, it had not received reports of illnesses connected to the recalled products, but urged consumers to discard affected items.

Beyond the high-profile outbreaks that allegedly sickened hundreds or, in some cases, thousands of people, the timeline compiled by Marler also includes a series of recalls that were not necessarily tied to large, publicly identified illness clusters. Those actions involved potential contamination with pathogens including salmonella, E. coli and listeria, as well as labeling issues involving undeclared allergens such as wheat, milk, eggs, sesame, soy, walnuts and fish. The recalled products ranged from salad kits and fresh-cut vegetables to prepared meals, dips, and chicken products.

Which Brands Fall Under Taylor Farms?

Taylor Farms sells fresh produce and salad products primarily under its flagship Taylor Farms brand, but its portfolio also includes organic produce company Earthbound Farm, acquired in 2019, and Eat Smart packaged salads and vegetables, acquired in 2021. The California-based company also operates food service and deli divisions and supplies fresh-cut produce and salad products to retailers through private-label arrangements, making it one of the largest players in the North American packaged salad industry.

Who Owns Taylor Farms?

Taylor Farms is a privately held, family-owned produce company founded in 1995 by chairman and CEO Bruce Taylor, a third-generation California produce grower, and has since grown into one of North America's largest suppliers of fresh salads and cut vegetables.

What Happens Next

As regulators continue to monitor the fallout from the 2026 cyclospora outbreak and the more recent salmonella-related jalapeño recall, questions remain about whether additional illnesses, enforcement actions or litigation could emerge. The FDA has maintained confidence in its traceback findings linking the cyclospora outbreak to shredded iceberg lettuce supplied by Taylor Farms de Mexico, while Taylor Farms has disputed that conclusion.

Meanwhile, investigations tied to contaminated produce can take months to fully resolve as health officials analyze supply chains, testing data and illness reports.

As for whether foodborne illness claims are worsening for Taylor Farms as time goes on, Marler said it's hard to tell.

“It’s hard to say whether or not they’re just so big that they’re bound to have outbreaks, but on the other hand, they tout themselves as being leaders in the industry, and they’re still having outbreaks," he told Newsweek.

Cyclosporiasis Outbreak

Check out Newsweek's latest coverage:

• Taylor Farms Says FDA Has Apologized Over ‘False Positive’ Cyclospora Test
• Cyclospora Patient Reveals What Symptoms are Really Like as Outbreak Spreads
• ⁠Which Salad Greens Are Safe From Cyclospora Parasite? List of Companies, Where to Buy
• What Kills Cyclospora? Food Safety Tips Amid Explosive Diarrhea Outbreaks
• Medicine To Treat ‘Explosive’ Diarrhea Outbreaks Could Cause More Diarrhea
• Cyclospora Isn’t the Only Parasite in Fresh Produce—Experts Warn of Others
• How Long Does Cyclospora Incubate? Symptoms To Watch For, How to Treat It
• Where Does Cyclospora Parasite Come From? How to Protect Yourself

Contact Newsweek editors on this story: Kate Nalepinski and Sam Wilson.

View 0 Comments

Request Reprint & Licensing

Submit Correction

View Editorial & AI Guidelines