Michigan lifts lettuce warning as cyclospora cases decline

Michigan health officials have lifted a warning against eating lettuce as cyclospora infections decline. The outbreak, which sickened over 10,000 people and caused two deaths in Michigan, was linked to Taylor Farms operations in Mexico. The scare severely impacted the food industry, causing a 14% drop in prepackaged salad sales and forcing restaurant chains like Sweetgreen and Taco Bell to report significant sales declines, while local farmers markets saw a 15% to 30% surge in demand.

Michigan cyclospora outbreak decline

• ▪Michigan reported more than 12,000 cyclospora cases and two deaths, making it the hardest-hit state in the multi-state outbreak
• ▪The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services lifted its warning against eating lettuce on August 6, 2026, as cyclospora parasite infections and diarrhea-related emergency visits declined

Taylor Farms Mexico lettuce recall

• ▪Taylor Farms voluntarily recalled products supplied from its central Mexico facility following the FDA investigation linking its iceberg lettuce to the cyclospora outbreak
• ▪Wisconsin supermarket chain Woodman's Markets discounted Taylor Farms products at the start of the outbreak, with roughly 30% of checkout carts still containing those products
• ▪An FDA investigation linked the multi-state cyclospora outbreak, which spread to 15 states, to iceberg lettuce sourced from Taylor Farms operations in central Mexico

Restaurant sales decline

• ▪Sweetgreen cut its full-year outlook on August 6, 2026, expecting a 7% to 8% decline in comparable sales due to a 6 percentage point impact from cyclospora fears in July
• ▪Salad and Go filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy and closed all of its locations, stating that the cyclospora outbreak exacerbated its existing business challenges
• ▪Chopt Creative Salad Co. locations experienced a 24% drop in customer traffic on July 18, 2026, immediately following the FDA's outbreak announcement
• ▪Chipotle Mexican Grill experienced a softening of sales by about 200 basis points in the second half of July 2026 due to industry-wide cyclospora concerns
• ▪Foot traffic at Taco Bell stores was down more than 11% on August 1, 2026, compared to the previous year, after being linked to the cyclospora outbreak

Grocery store sales drop

• ▪U.S. unit sales for fresh lettuce fell 9% in the week ending July 18, 2026, compared to the prior week, according to NielsenIQ data
• ▪Sunrise Market in Au Gres, Michigan, left its salad aisles empty and experienced a dip in raspberry, blueberry, and strawberry sales in July 2026 due to contamination rumors
• ▪Dollar sales of prepackaged salads in the United States fell 14% during the four weeks ended July 25, 2026, compared to the same period in 2025

Local farmers market surge

• ▪Farmers market managers reported sales surges of 15% to 30% as consumer concerns over foodborne illnesses drove shoppers toward local produce vendors
• ▪Argus Farm Stop in Ann Arbor, Michigan, experienced a surge in local lettuce demand, leaving local farmers racing to keep up with the sales bump

FDA food safety guidance

• ▪The FDA advised consumers to take extra preventative steps, such as discarding the outer layers of fruits and vegetables, to reduce the risk of cyclospora exposure
• ▪The FDA is tracking at least six other active cyclospora outbreaks with smaller numbers of reported cases and no identified contaminated ingredient source