Taco Bell says it has voluntarily removed potentially affected lettuce from its restaurants after federal health officials linked a multistate outbreak of cyclosporiasis to shredded iceberg lettuce supplied to some of its locations.
The fast-food chain announced Thursday that it acted “out of an abundance of caution” while public health officials continue investigating the outbreak.
“Based on ongoing conversations with public health officials, and out of an abundance of caution, Taco Bell has taken immediate action to voluntarily remove potentially impacted lettuce from a supplier in select states,” the company said in a statement.
Taco Bell said the affected ingredient has been indefinitely removed from its nationwide supply chain and is being replaced in affected states.
The company emphasized that no official public health advisory had been issued specifically against Taco Bell but said it chose to act proactively.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Food and Drug Administration updated their investigation Thursday, stating that traceback efforts linked illnesses in the outbreak to shredded iceberg lettuce supplied to Taco Bell restaurants in Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Ohio and West Virginia.
The CDC advised consumers not to eat shredded iceberg lettuce served at Taco Bell locations in those five states while the investigation continues.
Federal officials said the lettuce originated from a single supplier in Mexico but did not publicly identify the company.
The Washington Post, citing people familiar with the investigation, reported that the supplier is Taylor Farms. The company had not been publicly identified by federal agencies at the time of the update.
According to the CDC, at least 5,880 people in 41 states have been diagnosed with cyclosporiasis this year. Officials noted that not all reported cases are connected to the Taco Bell-related investigation and said several unrelated Cyclospora outbreaks are also under review.
Before issuing its public statement, Taco Bell had already removed several fresh ingredients from menus at some locations.
Signs posted at participating restaurants informed customers that lettuce, cilantro-onion mix, pico de gallo and guacamole were temporarily unavailable because of what the notices described as a nationwide recall.
Federal agencies have not announced a formal food recall related to the outbreak.
Cyclosporiasis is caused by the parasite Cyclospora cayetanensis, which spreads through food or water contaminated with human waste. In the United States, infections are frequently associated with imported fresh produce, including leafy greens, herbs and berries, per the Daily Mail.
Symptoms commonly include prolonged watery diarrhea, abdominal cramping, nausea, vomiting, fatigue and loss of appetite. Unlike many forms of food poisoning, symptoms may improve and then return over several weeks if left untreated.
Health experts advise anyone experiencing diarrhea lasting more than several days to seek medical evaluation and ask about testing for Cyclospora, as the parasite is not routinely included in standard stool testing.
The infection is typically treated with the antibiotic trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole, which is sold under brand names including Bactrim, Septra and Cotrim.
Federal health officials said the investigation remains ongoing as they continue tracing the source of contaminated lettuce and determining whether additional illnesses are connected to the outbreak.
