Taylor Farms faces scrutiny over cyclosporiasis outbreak

Produce supplier Taylor Farms is facing renewed scrutiny after voluntarily recalling iceberg lettuce potentially linked to an unusually large cyclosporiasis outbreak across the nation. Food safety experts note that while recalls are not uncommon for a company of Taylor Farms' size, the current outbreak's magnitude and the number of people affected are highly atypical.

More than 5,000 cases of cyclosporiasis have been reported, a figure that significantly surpasses the usual annual count of 200 to 1,000 cases. The parasite, which can cause severe and prolonged diarrhea, has led some consumers to avoid leafy greens and other fresh produce as investigators work to pinpoint the source.

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Nothing about this outbreak is typical.

Jennifer McEntire, founder of food safety consulting firm Food Safety Strategy, described the outbreak as "not typical" and "not acceptable," highlighting its unusual scale even for those accustomed to dealing with such incidents. Taylor Farms, which was founded by CEO Bruce Taylor in 1995 in Salinas Valley, California, operates a vast network of production facilities across the U.S., Canada, Mexico, and Western Europe. The company grows a quarter of its own produce and partners with family farms for the remainder.

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When you see something of this magnitude, it's surprising, even to those of us who are accustomed to working with outbreaks. This is not normal, and it's not acceptable.

With 25,000 employees, Taylor Farms reported $6 billion in revenue in 2022, positioning it as one of the largest produce suppliers in the U.S. Its extensive reach makes it a key provider of lettuce and other produce to major retailers like Walmart, Costco, Target, and Whole Foods, as well as restaurant chains such as Taco Bell and McDonald's. The company also owns the organic brand Earthbound Farms and produces 40% of the salad kits sold in the U.S.

McEntire cautioned that consumers might mistakenly perceive Taylor Farms as a smaller operation due to its name. However, she emphasized its status as "an enormous company with multiple processing operations and growing locations in different regions." On July 17, Taylor Farms recalled iceberg lettuce sourced from central Mexico after federal investigators established a connection between lettuce served at some Taco Bell restaurants and Taylor Farms de Mexico. The company stated that the FDA identified a single independent farm, accounting for less than 1% of its supply, as the source.

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But it's not. It's an enormous company with multiple processing operations and growing locations in different regions.