The CDC and FDA confirmed that lettuce used at some Taco Bell restaurants in the U.S. is the source of a Cyclospora parasite outbreak, causing over 5,000 diarrhea cases in Michigan, while Taco Bell is accelerating product recalls.
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) issued a public warning advising people to avoid shredded iceberg lettuce used at certain Taco Bell locations after confirming it as the source of a Cyclospora outbreak causing severe diarrhea.
The warning covers Taco Bell restaurants in five states: Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Ohio, and West Virginia. A joint investigation by the CDC and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) found the lettuce came from a single supplier importing from Mexico.
The FDA stated it is currently investigating whether potentially contaminated lettuce batches are being sold elsewhere and confirmed that Taco Bell has agreed to stop using lettuce from that supplier entirely.
Taylor Fresh Foods, a California-based company supplying lettuce to Taco Bell, revealed that FDA tests indicated contamination originated from an independent farm in central Mexico growing the lettuce, not from the company's own facility.
The company voluntarily announced a recall of all iceberg lettuce sourced from central Mexico from the U.S. market and expressed regret to those affected.
Prior to the CDC’s official announcement, Taco Bell disclosed it had immediately removed potentially affected lettuce from stores in some states and switched to a new supplier, with the product being withdrawn nationwide indefinitely.
However, public health officials noted that the outbreak might not be limited to Taco Bell, as many patients, especially in Michigan, reported not eating there. Investigations are ongoing to determine if the same lettuce batch was sent to other restaurants or retailers.
Michigan officials emphasized there is no evidence the outbreak resulted from unsanitary food handling at any particular restaurant, but rather from contaminated ingredients at the source.
Recent data show the Cyclospora outbreak in the U.S. continues to grow, particularly in Michigan, with more than 5,000 confirmed cases and over 2,000 suspected or probable cases in other states.
Although no deaths have been reported, more than 100 patients in Michigan and several dozen in other states have been hospitalized.
Meanwhile, North Carolina has reported over 300 cases, but officials believe these may be unrelated to the Michigan outbreak and are investigating further.
What is Cyclospora?
Cyclospora is a microscopic parasite living in the intestines that spreads through fecal contamination of water or food, especially fruits and vegetables exposed to contaminated irrigation water.
Infected individuals typically experience:
The illness can be treated with antibiotics and is generally not considered life-threatening.
Experts note that Cyclospora cases in the U.S. have steadily increased over recent years due to climate change facilitating parasite spread and improvements in diagnostic testing.
Source:AP
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