Washington: US health authorities on September 11 declared the nation’s largest recorded multistate cyclosporiasis outbreak over after contaminated iceberg lettuce sickened thousands of people, although the Food and Drug Administration said it is continuing to investigate how the parasite entered the food supply.
Federal investigators linked the outbreak to iceberg lettuce sourced from central Mexico by Taylor Farms, triggering a major recall and renewed scrutiny of food-safety controls for imported produce. The outbreak also affected consumer confidence, with some shoppers avoiding raw fruits and vegetables and dining out, putting pressure on restaurant chains.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 12,883 people across 21 states fell ill after consuming contaminated lettuce. The outbreak resulted in 570 hospitalizations and two deaths, accounting for more than half of the 19,595 laboratory-confirmed cyclosporiasis cases reported in the United States since May 1.
The Cyclospora outbreak affecting 21 states linked to iceberg lettuce is now over. The recalled products linked to illness are past their shelf life and out of stores. Learn more about Cyclospora: https://t.co/uqRJZjKcqk pic.twitter.com/YsAyBOwJuY
— CDC (@CDCgov) September 11, 2026
Infections peaked at more than 1,000 reported cases in a single day before the recall. By August, the CDC said infections had declined to fewer than two cases per day on average, indicating that transmission linked to the contaminated lettuce had largely subsided. The FDA said it remains confident that all recalled iceberg lettuce associated with the outbreak has been removed from the market.
The CDC said the best-by dates for products linked to the outbreak have passed, meaning the affected lettuce should no longer be available in stores or restaurants. Taylor Farms recalled all iceberg lettuce sourced from central Mexico on July 17. The FDA said it has completed on-site inspections and collected samples from lettuce farms and a processing facility in Mexico, with laboratory analysis still pending.
Michigan was among the hardest-hit states, while Ohio and Missouri also reported thousands of infections linked to contaminated lettuce from Taylor Farms. Federal and state officials said unusually high case totals in Michigan were partly linked to a backlog of reports processed in August, highlighting pressure on a public health reporting system weakened by federal funding cuts.
Before 2026, the largest U.S. cyclosporiasis season on record occurred in 2019, when about 4,700 illnesses were reported nationwide. The FDA said it will continue working with US, Mexican and state health authorities as the investigation into the contamination continues.
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