The federal health officials announced on Thursday, that a parasitic outbreak that caused diarrhoea in thousands across the United States has been traced to shredded iceberg lettuce imported from Mexico and served at Taco Bell restaurants.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) confirmed that a traceback investigation identified a single supplier of the shredded lettuce used by affected Taco Bell locations.
Although federal agencies did not publicly name the vendor, individuals familiar with the investigation identified a California-based Taylor Farms as the supplier.
Public health officials have urged consumers in five states, Michigan, Ohio, Indiana, Kentucky, and West Virginia, to avoid eating shredded iceberg lettuce at Taco Bell.
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The CDC reported that 1,644 laboratory-confirmed cases are tied directly to exposure at the fast-food chain, resulting in 94 hospitalizations and no deaths. Illnesses began between May 13 and July 13.
The outbreak is part of a broader nationwide summer surge of cyclosporiasis, an intestinal illness caused by the microscopic Cyclospora cayetanensis parasite.
The infection triggers severe diarrhea, fatigue, loss of appetite, weight loss, and stomach cramps. Due to the symptoms generally taking a week to develop and routine stool tests do not always screen for the parasite, health departments encourage symptomatic individuals to request specific testing from their healthcare providers.
The true scope of the outbreak is likely much higher, as many infected individuals recover without seeking medical care or testing.
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Furthermore, health officials note that confirming cases can take up to six weeks. The crisis has hit Michigan the hardest, where state health officials reported that 90% of interviewed patient subset recalled eating iceberg lettuce at Taco Bell.
In response to the federal findings, Taco Bell announced it has voluntarily and indefinitely removed the potentially impacted lettuce from its nationwide supply chain, replacing the ingredient within 24 hours in select states.
Some franchise locations in the Detroit area had already pulled lettuce, cilantro, onions, and guacamole as an early precaution.
The FDA is working directly with the supplier to determine if the contaminated lettuce reached other restaurants or retail markets, while also increasing border screenings for imported leafy greens.