Multiple proposed class-action lawsuits have been filed over the nationwide cyclospora outbreak, blaming Taco Bell and Taylor Farms for selling contaminated lettuce that has sickened thousands and led to two deaths.
At least two of the lawsuits are in federal courts in California, the state where the defendants have offices or representatives. Lead plaintiffs reside in Florida, West Virginia, Kentucky and other states, court filings indicate.
In one, lead plaintiff Michael Giles, of Brooksville, Florida, claims Taylor Farms sold iceberg lettuce to Taco Bell, which was used in restaurants in Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Ohio, West Virginia and Florida. The risk of the parasite was avoidable, and the defendants failed to warn consumers of the risk, leading to illness, Giles’ Aug. 6 complaint alleged.
“Plaintiff and similarly situated consumers were injured as a result of purchasing the products, including, among other things, they purchased and paid for products that did not conform to what was promised as promoted, marketed, advertised, packaged, and labeled by defendants,” said the complaint, filed in federal court in the Central District of California.
Resulting sickness included stomach aches, diarrhea, fatigue and dehydration, according to the suit.
Related: Parasite Outbreak Tied to Two Deaths in Michigan, CDC Says
In another suit, in the Northern District of California, West Virginia resident Lawrence Null’s attorneys made similar claims and argue that the fact the companies removed the lettuce shows it was not fit for sale.
Taylor Farms is no stranger to this harm, the suit claims. “Public-health authorities have tied Taylor Farms produce to prior outbreaks, including a 2013 cyclosporiasis outbreak linked to Taylor Farms’ salad mix and a 2024 E. coli outbreak linked to onions Taylor Farms supplied to a national restaurant chain. That history put Taylor Farms on notice of the contamination risk in its supply chain,” the Null complaint argued.
In Ohio, a law firm specializing in food-poisoning suits alleged that a Youngstown man suffered “excruciating abdominal pain, severe gas and bloating, diarrhea” and nausea, and was admitted to a local hospital. The suit on behalf of David Ott was filed in state court in Mahoning County, Ohio.
Other proposed class actions contend that the parasitic contamination amounts to an adulterated product, and the food companies are at fault for selling the lettuce, ClassAction.org has reported.
Taco Bell and Taylor Farms have yet to answer the suits or asked courts to dismiss them.
Officials with the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have said that since the start of the outbreak in early May, more than 10,468 cases of cyclosporiasis have been identified in 47 states, along with an additional 12,000 unconfirmed cases.
The contamination, likely from fecal matter, was traced to Taylor Farms. The firm then recalled iceberg lettuce that had been sourced from central Mexico, the CDC reported. Taco Bell restaurants removed suspected lettuce from its stores in a number of states, and replaced it with lettuce from another supplier, the Associated Press reported last month.
Cyclospora is a microscopic, spherical parasite. Outbreaks tend to occur most often in the late spring and summer, the CDC has said.
The illness is less common than foodborne illnesses caused by other germs, including salmonella and E. coli, the CDC noted. Many cases are never linked to a specific food or other source and, for years, few U.S. cyclospora outbreaks were reported. But the number started rising about a decade ago, with a particularly notable spike in 2018 and 2019.
Related: Cyclosporiasis Cases Top 10,000 in Michigan as Parasite Spreads
Topics Lawsuits Agribusiness
Was this article valuable?
Here are more articles you may enjoy.
Taylor Farms Recalls Salsa and Guacamole Over Salmonella Risk 
Pritzker Signs Bills Giving Insurance Department Power to Overturn Rate Changes 
Zurich Insurance Earnings Boosted by Global Data Center Demand 
American Family to Acquire Bowhead Specialty in $1.2B Cash Deal 
