Cyclosporiasis outbreak linked to shredded lettuce served at some Taco Bell locations: CDC, FDA
News
The locations were in Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Ohio and West Virginia
Recent cases of the intestinal illness cyclosporiasis have been linked to shredded iceberg lettuce served at some Taco Bell locations in Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Ohio and West Virginia, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Food and Drug Administration.
A traceback investigation carried out by the FDA identified a single supplier of iceberg lettuce from Mexico that supplied the Taco Bell locations where people who became sick reported eating. The supplier has not been publicly identified.
Details
The CDC and FDA said more than 1,644 cases in the current outbreak involve people who reported eating at Taco Bell in those five states, including 94 people who were hospitalized.
“Do not eat shredded iceberg lettuce from Taco Bell locations in Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Ohio, and West Virginia,” the CDC said in a notice posted Thursday. “CDC is also investigating other outbreaks and illnesses of cyclosporiasis nationally that are unrelated to this outbreak.”
The CDC said Taco Bell is working to stop using the lettuce.
Analysis
In an earlier statement, Taco Bell said it had taken “immediate action to voluntarily remove potentially impacted lettuce from a supplier in select states” following “ongoing conversations with public health officials.”
The statement went on to say in part, “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.”
In an FDA statement, the agency said it is working directly with the identified supplier to determine if potentially contaminated shredded iceberg lettuce remains on the market.
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