Taco Bell removing lettuce from U.S. locations over cyclosporiasis link

Taco Bell removing lettuce from U.S. locations over cyclosporiasis link

U.S. media links illnesses across the country to California-based Taylor Farms

Taco Bell said on Thursday it had removed lettuce from one of its suppliers in some U.S. states, after reports said investigators linked the ingredient to an ongoing cyclosporiasis ‌outbreak that has sickened thousands of people in the country.

"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 affected ingredient from our supplier is being indefinitely removed from our supply chain nationwide and will be replaced within ​24 hours in select states."

Taco Bell did not name the ⁠supplier or say ⁠which states it had removed the ingredient ‌from.

The Washington Post reported earlier on Thursday that shredded iceberg lettuce supplied to Taco Bell restaurants by California-based supplier Taylor Farms has been identified by investigators as a potential source of contamination in the outbreak of the ⁠parasitic intestinal infection.

Lettuce suspected source of explosive diarrhea outbreak

The outbreak, which began on May 1, has been concentrated in Michigan, with Ohio and New York also reporting a large number of infections. Michigan health ‌officials reported 4,312 cases on Thursday.

While the U.S. has experienced cyclosporiasis outbreaks before, the scale and geographic spread of this year's outbreak are significantly larger, prompting concern among health officials. Earlier this week, Taco Bell ​said it had removed a limited number of ingredients from some restaurants as a precautionary measure.

As cyclospora illnesses in U.S. surge to new record, Michigan officials eye lettuce as possible cause

A diarrhea-causing parasite has infected more than 1,000 in the U.S. Is it in Canada?

Bloomberg News reported ⁠earlier on Thursday that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration is expected to soon ⁠advise consumers to avoid shredded lettuce at Taco Bell restaurants in Michigan, Ohio, West ⁠Virginia, ⁠Kentucky and Indiana.

The Department ​of Health and Human Services, which oversees the FDA, and Taylor Farms did not immediately ​respond to Reuters' requests ⁠for comment.

Cyclosporiasis can be contracted by consuming food, typically raw fruits and vegetables or water contaminated with feces, and causes diarrhea, nausea and other gastrointestinal symptoms. It is not usually life-threatening and can be treated with antibiotics.

The outbreak is occurring as U.S. public health officials grapple with reduced surveillance capacity due to funding cuts.

Health officials in Alberta are investigating an uptick in cyclosporiasis, but the province said no connection has been made to the U.S. outbreak.