Lettuce at US Taco Bell confirmed as source of diarrhoea-causing parasite
Federal health officials have linked an outbreak of the parasite cyclospora to shredded iceberg lettuce served at Taco Bell restaurants across five US states. The supplier, Taylor Fresh Foods, is voluntarily removing the affected produce from the market as Taco Bell switches to a new supplier.
Why it matters
Foodborne illness outbreaks pose significant public health risks and highlight the vulnerabilities within large-scale agricultural supply chains.
<p>Federal health officials have identified lettuce from Mexico served at Taco Bell locations across five US states as a source of a widespread outbreak of diarrhoea-causing parasite cyclospora.</p> <p>The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention warned consumers not to eat shredded iceberg lettuce from Taco Bell restaurants in Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Ohio and West Virginia. A record number of Cyclospora cases have been reported in more than 30 states, and experts have said not every recent US illness might be caused by a single source.</p> <p>A Food and Drug Administration investigation so far has identified a single supplier of the lettuce.
Get smarter about the news
Sign up free for a feed built around what you actually care about, Dive Deeper research on any story, and the full text of every article.
Create free accountAlready have an account? Sign in