Taco Bell Pulls Lettuce Amid Cyclospora Outbreak
In a precautionary move, Taco Bell has begun removing shredded iceberg lettuce from its menu in several U.S. states after a link was found between the produce and an outbreak of explosive diarrhoea.
Health officials say the parasite responsible is cyclospora, a microscopic organism that can be transmitted through contaminated food or water. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports that 1,645 people in Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Ohio and West Virginia have been infected, and 94 of those have required hospital care.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued a warning that patrons should avoid any food items containing shredded iceberg lettuce from Mexico sold at Taco Bell outlets in the mentioned states. No deaths have been reported to date.
While the company has not announced which specific states will implement the change, most of the infections have been reported in Michigan, where over 3,300 cases have been identified. The lettuce implicated in the outbreak is suspected to come from the supplier Taylor Farms.
The parasite’s symptoms are not immediately apparent; they may show up about two weeks after exposure. Patients often experience watery diarrhoea that can last for several days, sudden weight loss and a loss of appetite.
Experts note that tracing the source of cyclospora is notoriously difficult, partly due to budget cuts in federal health agencies. "It’s like finding a microscopic fragment of a needle in a haystack," said Steven Manderach, executive director of the Association of Food and Drug Officials.
The restaurant has said that the lettuce from the identified supplier will be removed indefinitely and will be replaced. Though no official advisory has been issued yet, the company stresses that public health care is a shared responsibility among restaurants, suppliers and authorities.
