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The cyclospora outbreak that has sickened thousands of people across the U.S. has brought fresh scrutiny of the integral role Taylor Farms and other massive suppliers play in the country’s food supply. The company, which the Food and Drug Administration has linked to the parasite’s spread, is one of the world’s largest producers of fresh-cut vegetables and salads, supplying some of the biggest grocery chains and restaurant companies in the U.S. Its products are sold at retailers including Walmart, Kroger, Whole Foods and Target, and its restaurant customers include McDonald’s, Taco Bell and Chipotle. Taylor Farms says 40% of salad kits sold at grocery stores come from the company, giving it a massive role in supplying a convenient and cheap vegetable option for many shoppers. The company, founded in 1995, has grown through a combination of scale and acquisitions, building an operation that spans much of the food supply chain. Taylor Farms works with hundreds of family farms for its produce and handles processing, packaging and distribution itself. That reach has made the company an increasingly important link between farms and some of America’s biggest food companies, and heightens the risk of food safety problems spreading. Taylor Farms’ scale has put the company under a brighter spotlight as the FDA investigates the cyclospora outbreak that the agency has linked to iceberg lettuce processed at Taylor Farms’ facility in central Mexico, some of which was served at Taco Bell restaurants. Taylor Farms declined CNBC’s invitation for an interview but sent comments defending the steps it has taken to respond to the outbreak and keep its produce safe. “We are confident in our food and food safety systems and will continue to be transparent as more information becomes available,” a spokesperson for Taylor Fresh Foods, the corporate name for Taylor Farms, told…