Lettuce Recalled in 27 States Over Cyclospora Risk

Taylor Farms has initiated a recall of all iceberg lettuce sourced from central Mexico following the identification of a farm in that region as a potential source of a cyclosporiasis outbreak. The parasite cyclospora has sickened thousands of people across the United States this summer.

The recall covers products distributed to Walmart stores, Jack in the Box restaurants, and major food service distributors like Sysco in 27 states between June 29 and July 16.

The affected states include Alabama, Arkansas, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Mississippi, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Jersey, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, and Wisconsin. Walmart confirmed that its Marketside house-brand products were among those recalled.

The company removed 12- and 24-ounce bags of Marketside Bagged Iceberg Salad, as well as 8- and 16-ounce bags of Marketside Bagged Shredded Iceberg Salad, from select stores in the implicated states.

The recalled Walmart products carry UPC codes 681131328944, 681131328951, 681131328968, and 681131532099. Their best-by dates range from July 18 to August 3, 2026. Walmart spokesperson Rachael Simmons stated that the company removed the items out of an abundance of caution after receiving notice from its supplier.

She noted that there have been no confirmed illnesses associated with these specific products at this time. Customers who purchased the affected items are advised to discard them or return them to their local Walmart for a full refund.

Jack in the Box also received the implicated shredded lettuce, which was used at locations in Texas, Oklahoma, and Louisiana. Spokesperson Casey Middleton said the chain learned of the potential issue on Thursday and immediately notified restaurants receiving shredded iceberg lettuce through their Texas distribution center to remove the product.

Middleton added that there are no known illnesses associated with food served at Jack in the Box locations in connection with the FDA’s ongoing investigation.

The recall notices posted by Taylor Farms and the FDA provide limited details for consumers trying to identify affected products. The notices list internal abbreviations rather than full brand names: Marketside is listed as MKTSD, Sysco as SY, and Jack in the Box as JB. Consumer Reports is working to confirm the identities of five additional brands whose names appear only as abbreviations.

Taylor Farms did not immediately respond to questions regarding these other brands.

Given the sparse information in the official notices, Consumer Reports food safety experts advise consumers in the 27 affected states to discard all iceberg lettuce from Taylor Farms out of an abundance of caution. It is not yet clear if other brands or products are involved in the recall beyond those confirmed by Walmart, Jack in the Box, and Sysco.

Jack in the Box employs about 25 people in Princeton, according to local government records.

Source: consumerreports.org.

Sources

https://www.consumerreports.org/health/food-recalls/taylor-farms-pulls-mexican-lettuce-linked-to-cyclospora-para-a7871344748/