Acting FDA Chief Urges Americans to Have Confidence in Food Supply

Several foodborne illnesses this summer have raised concerns about food safety. Don’t blame DOGE, said the FDA chief.

Lettuce is displayed at a grocery store in Washington on July 24, 2026. Nathan Howard/Reuters

The nation’s chief food regulator attempted to dispel public fears about the U.S. food supply on Aug. 11 after a series of foodborne illnesses emerged this summer.

Increased border testing on fresh produce coming into the country and an intense investigation into the Cyclospora parasite contamination in July resulted in finding the origin of the latest outbreak “in record time,” acting U.S. FDA Commissioner Kyle Diamantas said.

“Americans should have full confidence in the food supply in this country,” Diamantas said in an interview with CNBC. “We have the safest food supply in the world.”

Cyclosporiasis cases caused by the parasites were traced to iceberg lettuce imported from central Mexico, the FDA found during its investigation. The outbreak sickened more than 12,000 people, mostly in the Midwest.

Some cases included people who reported eating lettuce at Taco Bell restaurants, and others purchased lettuce from grocery stores, according to the FDA.

“We do feel very confident that the iceberg lettuce from central Mexico was the culprit in the Cyclospora outbreak in the Midwest,” Diamantas said. “We do have folks on the ground there. We’re continuing to investigate that.”

The investigation led to a recall by Taylor Farms Mexico on July 17 of all iceberg lettuce sourced from central Mexico for the U.S. market.

During the investigation, FDA inspectors at the border also discovered contaminated iceberg lettuce from central Mexico in another batch heading into the United States. The discovery caused some confusion about whether Taylor Farms was the originator of the main outbreak. But that was never in question at the FDA, Diamantas said.

The outbreak prompted the agency to release new guidance to help manufacturers and processors of fresh-cut produce comply with FDA’s safety rules. The guidance replaces rules from 2008, according to the FDA.

Taylor Farms has responded to the outbreak online, saying it immediately took steps to ensure customer safety.

The company has removed all potentially implicated product from the marketplace and issued an even broader recall of all iceberg lettuce sourced from the region, the company stated on its website.

“We are passionate about helping people live healthier lives through fresh produce, and the safety of our food is paramount,” the company posted on its website. “We maintain best-in-class Cyclospora prevention protocols and invest more than $200 million annually into our independently audited and verified food safety protocols.”

Taylor Farms has also commissioned independent experts to review food safety processes and protocols in its central Mexico facility. As of July 18, the company has temporarily suspended production at the facility.

“We are confident in our food and food safety systems and will continue to be transparent as more information becomes available,” the company said.

From left, Sen. Ashley Moody (R-Fla.), Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., acting Food and Drug Administration Commissioner Kyle Diamantas, Rep. Kat Cammack (R-Fla.), and Florida Commissioner of Agriculture Wilton Simpson at a press conference announcing an FDA rule change for pasteurized orange juice sugar content in Lakeland, Fla., on July 17, 2026. Jacob Burg/The Epoch Times

Other outbreaks this summer have also caused concern.

Jalapeño peppers were linked to a multistage salmonella outbreak traced back to a grower in Sinaloa, Mexico, the FDA reported this month. At least 345 people in 27 states reported getting sick from the strain linked to the contaminated peppers.

Federal health officials also investigated a multistate outbreak of E. coli linked to organic frozen blueberries on Aug. 3. The berries were sold at Publix stores and produced by a Chile-based company.

The media attention may have heightened the public’s awareness about contaminated food this summer, but the FDA deals with foodborne illness every year, Diamantas said.

“FDA investigates dozens of foodborne illness outbreaks each year,” he said. “There is definitely a heightened narrative right now. People are more aware.”

The Taylor Farms facility in Doctor Mora, Guanajuato state, Mexico, on July 20, 2026. Demian Sanchez/Reuters

The acting commissioner was asked whether this year’s food contamination outbreaks could be attributed to funding or staff cuts made by the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), a federal advisory entity temporarily run by Elon Musk at the beginning of President Donald Trump’s second term.

Diamantas said the agency’s safety programs had not been reduced through DOGE.

“Speaking for FDA, we’ve had no cuts to food safety programs here,” Diamantas said.