Kennedy Says Cyclosporiasis Outbreak Under Control Amid Recall Controversy

U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. announced on July 21, 2026 that the nation’s cyclosporiasis outbreak was “under control.” His briefing followed the FDA’s reversal of a voluntary recall of Taylor Farms’ shredded iceberg lettuce after a “false-positive” laboratory result. The agency had initially linked the lettuce—served at several Taco Bell locations and sold in 27 states—to the parasite and prompted a recall. After re-testing, the FDA told Taylor Farms the positive result was erroneous, though other tracking methods still implicate the Mexican-grown lettuce as the probable source.

New York PostThe IndependentThe Guardian

Cyclosporiasis is caused by the Cyclospora protozoan, spread through food or water contaminated with feces and thriving in warm conditions. Symptoms include watery diarrhea, fever and vomiting, appearing 2–14 days after exposure. Heating food to 158 °F (70 °C) destroys the parasite.

The Independent

Surveillance of food-borne illnesses has been affected by cuts to the FoodNet program, which was narrowed under the Trump administration to focus only on certain bacteria. Officials say the same data systems remain in use for cyclospora, but critics argue the reduction hampers early detection.

The Guardian

• Independent analysis shows more than 10,000 cyclosporiasis cases reported in over 40 states, with Michigan accounting for 6,571 cases.

The Guardian

• CDC figures list over 1,600 confirmed cases and 5,100 pending, with 34 states reporting infections this summer.

The Guardian

These numbers illustrate the scale of the current outbreak, which experts suggest may be the largest ever documented in the United States.

The Guardian

The FDA reiterated that the false-positive test did not alter the basis for its ongoing investigation and maintained that the voluntary recall remained justified. CDC officials projected that the outbreak would continue through August because of the parasite’s long incubation period, noting that case numbers are likely to rise even after the source is identified.

The Independent

• Case counts differ markedly: the Independent reports over 10,000 cases, while CDC data list roughly 1,600 confirmed cases with additional pending reports.

The Guardian

• Source confirmation remains uncertain. Although the FDA’s false-positive result was retracted, other tracking methods still point to Taylor Farms’ lettuce, but the agency has not issued a definitive statement confirming the source.

New York Post

• “We have the outbreak under control,” — Robert F. Kennedy, human services secretary

The Guardian

• “We have done extensive forensics, epidemiological forensics and we have identified the source of the outbreak,” — Robert F. Kennedy, human services secretary

New York Post

• “We did cuts in the FoodNet program, but they were for redundant surveillance, and all the states will tell you that we’re still doing forensics,” — Robert F. Kennedy, human services secretary

The Guardian