The FDA said on Thursday, July 16, that shredded iceberg lettuce from Mexico served at Taco Bell restaurants in five states has been linked to an outbreak of Cyclospora infections. The warning covers locations in Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Ohio, and West Virginia.
The outbreak has sickened 1,644 people who reported eating at Taco Bell, according to the FDA. At least 94 people have been hospitalized. No deaths have been reported.
An analysis of food exposures involving 190 Michigan patients found that 90 percent reported eating iceberg lettuce, the agency said.
The FDA’s traceback investigation converged on a single supplier of iceberg lettuce from Mexico. The agency did not publicly identify the supplier.
Daily Voice reported Thursday that The Washington Post had identified Taylor Farms as the potential supplier, citing two people familiar with the investigation.
The FDA is working with the supplier to determine whether potentially contaminated lettuce was distributed elsewhere. Taco Bell has committed to stop using lettuce from the identified supplier.
No recall had been issued. Not every Taco Bell location in the five states received the implicated product.
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Consumers should not eat food containing shredded iceberg lettuce from Mexico at affected Taco Bell locations, according to the FDA.
Anyone who purchased or received affected food should carefully clean and sanitize surfaces or containers that touched it.
People experiencing watery diarrhea, fatigue, or loss of appetite should contact a health care provider, especially if they ate the lettuce during the two weeks before becoming sick.
The CDC said patients may need to specifically request Cyclospora testing because routine stool tests do not always screen for the parasite.
Symptoms generally begin about one week after infection but can appear between two days and two weeks later. Untreated symptoms may last from several days to more than a month.
Anyone with symptoms should remain well-hydrated.
The CDC recommends washing hands and thoroughly washing fresh produce. Washing alone cannot guarantee the removal of Cyclospora. Cooking produce to at least 158 degrees Fahrenheit can kill the parasite.
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