Manhattan Shoppers Grow Wary of Iceberg Lettuce Amid Cyclospora Outbreak

Some New Yorkers are thinking twice before buying iceberg lettuce as health officials continue investigating a nationwide cyclospora outbreak, even though the exact source of the contamination remains unknown.

For a brief time, investigators believed they had identified the culprit. Taylor Farms voluntarily recalled certain central Mexico-sourced iceberg lettuce after the U.S. Food and Drug Administration found what initially appeared to be cyclospora in a sample. The FDA later determined the result was a false positive, meaning contamination was never confirmed.

Taylor Farms also said the recalled lettuce was not distributed to New York state, ruling it out as the source of illnesses reported here.

Despite that, federal investigators continue to focus on iceberg lettuce as the leading suspect in the outbreak, leaving some Manhattan shoppers cautious about purchasing the leafy green until more answers emerge.

New York has seen a sharp increase in cases. In a July 13 health advisory, the New York State Department of Health reported cyclospora infections this year were about 300% higher than the state’s typical annual numbers.

At a Whole Foods Market in Chelsea, shelves remained stocked with whole and shredded iceberg lettuce sourced from farms in the United States and Canada. That includes U.S. Taylor Farms products. Taylor Farms grows and packages lettuce in multiple regions across the United States and Mexico, allowing products from facilities not involved in the recall to remain on store shelves.

“I’ve heard chatter, and a couple of customers have mentioned the lettuce situation,” said Brianna, a customer service employee at Whole Foods. “But there hasn’t been anyone directly complaining about lettuce they bought from our store. People have been shopping as usual.”

Some shoppers, however, are changing their buying habits.

Natalie Dietz, a Midtown West resident shopping at Whole Foods, said she has temporarily stopped purchasing supermarket lettuce and some berries. Instead, she plans to buy produce from local farmers markets until the outbreak subsides.

“It just feels more secure,” Dietz said. “I know where it’s coming from at a farmers market. With large grocery chains, it’s harder to know exactly where the produce was sourced.”

Confusion over which lettuce products may be connected to the investigation has also fueled concern.

Taylor Farms remains part of the FDA’s investigation, but some Manhattan shoppers said it is not always clear which products may contain Taylor Farms lettuce under private-label packaging. A team member at a Midtown Trader Joe’s said one customer recently questioned whether the store should be selling lettuce at all.

Restaurants have also encountered wary customers.

A manager at a Manhattan Chipotle said reactions have varied. Some customers have expressed concern about the lettuce but ordered it anyway, while others declined it altogether.

“When we ask if they’d like lettuce, some people respond, ‘Are you crazy? You want to give me lettuce?’”

Concern has also reached other restaurant chains. Taco Bell announced July 17 that it had completed the removal of all affected Taylor Farms lettuce from its restaurants nationwide. The company said it acted “out of an abundance of caution” while working with public health officials and confirmed the affected ingredient had been removed from its supply chain.

Other neighborhood businesses reported little change in consumer behavior.

An employee at West Side Market said customers had not raised concerns about the store’s lettuce selection, while a delivery shopper outside Whole Foods said clients continued ordering lettuce at about the same rate as before the outbreak.

For now, health officials continue working to identify the source of the infections. Until investigators provide definitive answers, some New Yorkers are filling their grocery carts as usual, while others are leaving the lettuce behind.