Taco Bell has “temporarily removed limited ingredients at select restaurants” as a voluntary precaution against the spread of Cyclospora, a foodborne parasite that causes a diarrheal illness, according to an emailed statement.
The chain said it was prioritizing the safety and health of guests, and emphasized that “public health officials have not confirmed a link to Taco Bell or any specific ingredient, supplier, restaurant or retailer.”
Health authorities are continuing their investigation into the epidemiological origins of the ongoing cyclosporiasis outbreak, which had sickened thousands of people across 34 states as of July 13, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The Washington Post reported Taco Bell was the subject of some investigations into the outbreak.
Taco Bell did not specify which ingredients it removed or which markets were impacted. But last week, Restaurant Dive confirmed several Taco Bells in Michigan had stopped serving lettuce and cilantro.
Outbreaks caused by the Cyclospora parasite are generally linked to contaminated produce. The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services said early investigations into the course of the outbreak “indicates that lettuce or salad greens may be a potential source of this outbreak.”
“Other food items cannot be completely ruled out. No specific type of produce, grower, or supplier has been identified as the source,” the MDHHS said.
Michigan has emerged as the epicenter of the outbreak, with about 3,762 suspected cases as of July 15, according to the MDHHS. The CDC said it was aware of 1,645 confirmed cases in the U.S. and another 5,100 requiring further analysis as of July 15.
Given the incubation period of the parasite and the likelihood that some infected individuals recover without seeking medical attention, the CDC said the total of infections is likely higher.
The scale of the cyclosporiasis epidemic dwarfs other recent foodborne illness outbreaks that have prompted restaurants to remove ingredients. The 2024 McDonald’s E. coli outbreak, for example, sickened 104 people though the comparative severity of E. coli infection led to a higher rate of hospitalization — roughly one-third of cases — compared to the present cyclosporiasis epidemic.
