By BILL BARROW and MIKE STOBBE Associated Press
July 17, 2026 - 6:53 am
ATLANTA — Federal wellness officials person identified lettuce from Mexico served astatine Taco Bell locations crossed 5 U.S. states arsenic a root of the wide outbreak of diarrhea-causing parasite cyclospora.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention precocious Thursday warned consumers not to devour shredded iceberg lettuce from Taco Bell restaurants successful Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Ohio and West Virginia. A grounds fig of cyclospora cases person been reported successful much than 30 states, and experts person said not each caller U.S. unwellness mightiness beryllium caused by a azygous source.
A Food and Drug Administration probe identified a azygous supplier of the lettuce. The national warnings to consumers did not place the company, but a national authoritative who was briefed connected the probe and not authorized to sermon it told The Associated Press it was Taylor Farms of Salinas, California.
Taylor Farms, which has been tied to foodborne outbreaks successful the past, did not instantly respond to a petition for comment.
“FDA is moving with the supplier of iceberg lettuce to find if perchance contaminated shredded iceberg lettuce remains connected the market,” including successful different states, the CDC said. “Taco Bell has committed to halt utilizing immoderate lettuce from the supplier identified by FDA’s traceback investigation.”
In a statement, national wellness officials stressed that different “brands, restaurants, retailers, oregon organisation channels” could beryllium identified arsenic the probe continues.
CDC, FDA and nationalist wellness officials successful respective states person been investigating a multistate outbreak of cyclospora infections.
More than 30 states person reported infections this year, and existent information from them shows the fig of infections surpassing the grounds U.S. people of astir 4,700 acceptable successful 2019. The unwellness is not usually beingness threatening and is typically treated with antibiotics.
On Tuesday, up of the national government’s confirmation, Taco Bell issued a connection saying it had “voluntarily and temporarily removed constricted ingredients astatine prime restaurants arsenic a precautionary measure. We volition proceed to intimately show the concern and travel the guidance of nationalist wellness authorities.”
Cyclospora is simply a microscopic, spherical parasite that commonly causes watery diarrhea “with predominant and sometimes explosive bowel movements,” according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Outbreaks thin to hap astir often successful the precocious outpouring and summer.
The heat-loving parasite infects the bowels and spreads done feces. In the past, radical person been infected by consuming fruits oregon vegetables that were exposed to feces-contaminated irrigation water.
The illness, called cyclosporiasis, is little communal than foodborne illnesses caused by different germs, including salmonella and E. coli. Many cases are ne'er linked to a circumstantial nutrient oregon different root and, for years, fewer U.S. cyclospora outbreaks were reported. But the fig started rising astir a decennary ago, with a peculiarly notable spike successful 2018 and 2019.
Experts accidental it’s apt that cyclospora cases historically were underreported, successful portion due to the fact that immoderate communal tests utilized to cheque for nutrient poisoning person not been geared to observe cyclospora. They property the expanding inclination successful cases to clime alteration and amended detection.
Taylor Farms besides was tied to a 2013 cyclosporiasis outbreak linked to crockery premix and a 2024 E. coli outbreak tied to onions served astatine McDonald’s.
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