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Taco Bell announced Thursday it would remove lettuce from some of its stores after the Food and Drug Administration identified shredded iceberg lettuce as the potential source of the cyclosporiasis outbreak that causes episodes of explosive diarrhea.
“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,” Taco Bell said in a statement.
The fast-food chain said its decision to remove the lettuce “indefinitely” was voluntary and that no official advisory has been issued.
Taylor Farms, which supplies the shredded lettuce, was linked to the potential outbreak, two people familiar with the investigation told the Washington Post.
“The affected ingredient from our supplier is being indefinitely removed from our supply chain nationwide and will be replaced within 24 hours in select states,” a spokesperson for the Mexican fast-food chain said.
Taylor Farms describes itself as the leading global producer of salads and “healthy fresh foods” with facilities across the U.S. and other countries.
The Independent has reached out to Taylor Farms for comment.
There have been nearly 7,000 cases of cyclosporiasis since the start of May, with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention tracking 1,645 confirmed reports and more than 5,100 cases that require further analysis.
As of Monday, cases have been reported in 34 states, with Michigan and New York being hit the hardest.
Cyclosporiasis is an intestinal illness caused by a parasite from food or water contaminated with feces.
People infected with the parasite can get several discomforting symptoms, including cramping and nausea, but what has captured the most attention is the possibility of explosive diarrhea.
Without a confirmed source of the outbreak, Americans are avoiding eating fruits and vegetables over fears of being stuck on the toilet on a family vacation or a trip to the beach.
Officials in Michigan, which has seen the highest number of cases, said earlier this week that lettuce may be the culprit.
“Early information has shown lettuce as a common product that regularly comes up during the investigation,” Dr. Natasha Bagdasarian, the state’s chief medical executive, said in a statement.
Michigan has seen more than 4,300 cases, including about 100 that have resulted in hospitalization, according to state officials.
Local news radio station WWJ reported earlier this month that several Taco Bell locations, including in Metro Detroit, put up a sign that read, “We are currently unable to sell Lettuce, Cilantro Onion, Pico de Gallo, and Guacamole due to a nationwide recall.”
Taco Bell told The Independent that “while no official advisory has been issued, we believe public health is a shared responsibility among restaurants, their suppliers, and authorities, and we are proud to have consistently acted quickly and proactively to protect our guests.
“Taco Bell has taken precautionary action, and we encourage all relevant restaurants, retailers, and foodservice operators to do the same.”
Ariana Baio contributed to this report.
