Taylor Farms, a prominent California-based producer of leafy greens and fresh vegetables, announced a significant product removal due to an outbreak of cyclosporiasis. This outbreak affected over 1,600 individuals.

According to two federal officials, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have linked the outbreak to iceberg lettuce supplied by Taylor Farms to certain Taco Bell locations. The officials chose to remain unnamed when providing this information.

In response to the outbreak, Taylor Farms communicated through an email on Friday about initiating a ‘voluntary removal’ of the suspect products. This decision came after receiving related details from the Food and Drug Administration. The company emphasized its commitment to take proactive measures.

Founded in 1995 by Bruce Taylor, a third-generation member of a farming family from California’s Salinas Valley, Taylor Farms has grown into a major force in the vegetable industry. It generates over $7 billion in produce sales annually, supplying both grocery stores and restaurant chains. The company operates across multiple states, Mexico, and Canada, with 30 processing plants and a workforce of 25,000 employees. Last year alone, Taylor Farms produced over 40% of salad kits available in U.S. supermarkets, serving approximately 265 million portions of fresh vegetables each week.

Despite its vast operations, Taylor Farms, like many food producers, does not publicly disclose the specific retailers or restaurants that use its products. This lack of transparency extends to both its leafy greens and other vegetables.