U.S. regulators have discovered that shredded iceberg lettuce served at Taco Bell restaurants caused an outbreak of a parasite that sickened thousands of people in Michigan and nearby states, and identified a single supplier as the apparent source.
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has issued a food safety alert for the diarrhea-causing cyclospora parasite, advising consumers not to eat the ingredient at Taco Bell restaurants in Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Ohio and West Virginia.
Taco Bell said it has proactively removed the lettuce from suppliers and will replace the ingredient at restaurants in affected states within 24 hours. The company said in a statement that the supplier’s lettuce will be removed from its national supply chain indefinitely as a precautionary measure.
The CDC has linked 1,644 lab-confirmed cases in five states to Taco Bell restaurants and said the true number of infections is likely higher because many people recover without being tested and it can take up to six weeks to confirm whether a patient is part of a cyclospora outbreak.
The agency is investigating other cases of cyclosporiasis not related to this outbreak. Michigan has reported the highest total number of cases, with more than 4,300 illnesses and 102 hospitalizations.
this Food and Drug AdministrationA traceability investigation found that a supplier from Mexico supplied the Taco Bell restaurant where the infected person ate. The FDA is working directly with the supplier to determine whether the contaminated shredded iceberg lettuce went elsewhere.
According to the Washington Post, Taylor Farm is a potential source of contamination.
The CDC says not all Taco Bell stores in outbreak areas receive chopped lettuce from the same supplier.
Cyclospora is a tiny parasite that causes intestinal disease characterized by long-term watery diarrhea, loss of appetite and weight loss. Symptoms usually appear about a week after infection and may last several weeks or longer if not treated. No deaths have been reported in the current outbreak.
Earlier this week, the Mexican-style chain owned by Yum Brands! Brands Inc. said it would “voluntarily temporarily” remove certain ingredients from some restaurants as a precaution, without providing further details. Several independent restaurants also sell lettuce and vegetables.
The outbreak has also hit shares of fast-casual salad chain Sweetgreen Inc., which fell about 25% this week amid reports that lettuce was the culprit. The company said its investigation into Cyclospora has not identified any components in its supply chain.
Rapid outbreaks are difficult for health authorities to track. The disease does not spread from person to person, and it can take up to two weeks between ingestion of contaminated food or water and the onset of symptoms. Michigan health authorities earlier noted Contaminated lettuce or salad greens as a potential source.
On Thursday, White House press secretary Carolyn Leavitt said the Trump administration was “closely monitoring” the outbreak and “committed to providing the CDC and Food and Drug Administration with the resources they need.”
