Why Taylor Farms faces scrutiny over salmonella and cyclospora outbreaks
Despite a rash of foodborne illnesses in recent months, one expert said the nation's food supply is "remarkably safe." Here's what to know.
August 10, 2026 / 3:56 PM EDT / CBS News
Taylor Farms, whose lettuce public health officials have identified as the source of this summer's widespread cyclosporiasis outbreak , now faces another serious food safety issue.
The Salinas, California, produce supplier recently recalled several food items made with jalapeños suspected of being contaminated with salmonella.
But Jennifer McEntire, founder of food safety consulting firm Food Safety Strategy, drew an important distinction between the two recalls. Taylor Farms did not grow the jalapeños used to make a variety of pepper-based products, including pico de gallo salsa and guacamole, that it has now recalled due to salmonella risks.
By contrast, Taylor Farms' Mexican operation is known to have produced the lettuce that has caused thousands of cases of cyclosporiasis across the U.S. since May 1.
"The issue with jalapeños is very, very different. The jalapeños came from a separate grower, handled by a different importer that sold them to a number of different entities," McEntire told CBS News, noting that she views Taylor Farms' involvement in the jalapeño recall as "an extremely unfortunate coincidence."