Is It Safe to Eat Lettuce Again? What to Know About Cyclospora

For much of the summer of 2026, salad didn’t seem quite as common as it usually does. During a time when many people are working on achieving and maintaining their beach bodies, an ongoing lettuce recall has pushed a lot of Americans to pass on the salad in favor of some other low-calorie meals.

A large Cyclospora outbreak, an intestinal illness caused by a microscopic parasite called Cyclospora cayetanensis, left thousands sick across the US. Investigators eventually linked one major multistate outbreak to iceberg lettuce supplied by Taylor Farms de Mexico, including lettuce served at Taco Bell and sold through retail channels. While health officials say that the recalled lettuce should be off the market now, many are left wondering if it’s safe to eat lettuce now, or if people with food safety concerns should continue to steer clear.

The Lettuce Recall Has Ended, But the Investigation Hasn't

The recall on Taylor Farms lettuce was issued on July 17, after investigators traced the tainted lettuce back to a farm in Central Mexico. The recall covered a wide range of food-service products, along with retail products sold at select Walmart stores. Some of the recalled Marketside products included 12- and 24-ounce packages of iceberg salad and 8- and 16-ounce packages of shredded lettuce, with best-by dates extending into early August.

Shortly after the findings were made public, the FDA issued a Class I recall, the most serious recall category. According to the FDA, a Class I recall means that there is a reasonable probability that consuming the recalled product could cause serious illness or death. The FDA said the classification reflected both the strength of the evidence linking the lettuce to the outbreak and the severity of the illnesses reported.

On September 3, roughly two months after the Cyclospora outbreak started, the CDC announced that the tainted lettuce should no longer be available in stores or restaurants. The agency also said it was reducing the frequency of updates because the number of new cases associated with the outbreak has declined.

Can You Eat Lettuce Now?