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The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has withdrawn a previously reported positive cyclospora test result linked to lettuce supplied by Taylor Farms de Mexico, saying a re-review by laboratory experts determined the finding was a false positive.
In an update issued July 19, the FDA said the earlier result, reported July 18, did not represent a true positive detection because of the complexities involved in detecting the parasite.
As of July 19, there are no confirmed positive sample results for product testing for cyclospora, added the agency.
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"FDA has notified Taylor Farms and continues working with the firm to ensure product implicated in this outbreak has been removed from the market," wrote the FDA in a statement. "FDA and state partners continue to collect and analyze product samples."
The update comes amid rising cases of cyclosporiasis, known as the "explosive diarrhea" disease, with cases increasing across more than 30 states in recent weeks, USA TODAY reported.
On July 17, Taylor Farms issued a voluntary recall of iceberg lettuce products tied to a multistate cyclospora outbreak investigation. Tennessee was among the states that received recalled iceberg products distributed between June 29 and July 16, and select Walmart stores in the state also sold recalled Marketside-brand iceberg lettuce products.
Here's what else to know, including which restaurants in the state are supplied by Taylor Farms.
How big is Taylor Farms?
Taylor Farms is the “leading global producer of salads and healthy fresh foods,” according to its website, with facilities in the United States, Mexico, Canada and Europe.
Taylor Farms has $7 billion in revenues and more than 25,000 employees and 30 processing facilities, according to a spring 2026 profile in UC Berkeley Haas Magazine.
“Operating across retail, foodservice, and prepared foods, Taylor Farms partners with every major retail group, club store, and quick-service restaurant chain in the country,” the profile says.
Which supermarket chains in Tennessee sell Taylor Farms lettuce?
Taylor Farms products are sold through several retailers with locations in Tennessee, including Walmart, Target, Whole Foods Market, Meijer, Sprouts Farmers Market, and Kroger.
By visiting Taylor Farms' Find-a-Product page and entering their location, shoppers can see which Taylor Farms products are sold at individual retailers nearby.
In Nashville, for example, Taylor Farms products are most widely available at Walmart, which carries 41 items, followed by Kroger with 39 and Sprouts Farmers Market with 38.
Which Tennessee restaurant chains serve Taylor Farms lettuce?
Taco Bell was among the restaurants that served Taylor Farms lettuce tied to the recent recall.
Chipotle also serves Taylor Farms produce, a company official confirmed on July 20.
"We are continuing to follow the Cyclospora investigation very closely, and at this time, we don’t believe the ingredients we source are associated," said Laurie Schalow, chief corporate affairs and food safety officer at Chipotle.
Other chains that have sourced lettuce and produce from Taylor Farms in the past include McDonald's, Subway, KFC, Long John Silver's and Pizza Hut, according to a 2014 report by Capital & Main and The Huffington Post.
The report also identified Darden Restaurants, the parent company of brands including Olive Garden, as a Taylor Farms customer.
How many cyclosporiasis cases have been reported in Tennessee?
According to the CDC, 1,645 cyclosporiasis cases have been reported in the United States since May 1, 2026, though officials say the actual number of illnesses is likely higher because some people recover without seeking medical care and are never tested for cyclospora.
Reported patients range in age from two to 95, with a median age of 44, and 56% are female.
The median illness onset date was June 22, with cases reported between May 1 and July 9. Of the 1,645 people for whom hospitalization information was available, 141 were hospitalized. No deaths have been reported.
In Tennessee, the CDC reports between 11 and 30 confirmed cases of cyclosporiasis.
Contributing: USA TODAY
Diana Leyva covers trending news and service journalism for The Tennessean. Contact her at [email protected].
This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Taylor Farms supplies numerous retailers in Tennessee. See a list amid cyclospora outbreak
