United States health authorities have traced a widespread outbreak of cyclosporiasis, a foodborne illness caused by a parasite, to shredded iceberg lettuce served at Taco Bell restaurants in five states.
The finding followed a federal investigation conducted by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), which linked the contamination to a supplier of iceberg lettuce from Mexico.
According to the CDC, more than 1,644 people across Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Ohio and West Virginia were confirmed to have contracted cyclosporiasis during the outbreak.
The illness can cause severe diarrhoea, stomach cramps, nausea and dehydration. Health officials reported 94 hospitalisations linked to the outbreak, although no deaths have been recorded.
Authorities said the confirmed cases were directly associated with Taco Bell locations that received the contaminated lettuce.
While the CDC did not identify the supplier, reports cited by The Washington Post suggested that the lettuce may have been distributed by Taylor Farms, a company with operations in the United States, Canada and Mexico.
Following the investigation, federal authorities advised consumers in the affected states to avoid eating shredded iceberg lettuce supplied through the implicated channels.
In response, Taco Bell announced that it had voluntarily removed the affected ingredient from its supply chain.
“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,” the company said in a statement.
Health experts noted that untreated cyclosporiasis can persist for several weeks, although it is generally not life-threatening. They advised consumers to thoroughly wash fresh produce or cook it properly, as temperatures above 70°C can eliminate the parasite.
Officials also cautioned that differences may exist between state and national infection figures due to reporting methods and delays in surveillance updates.
