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Taco Bell said on Thursday it had removed lettuce from one of its suppliers in some U.S. states, after reports said investigators linked the ingredient to an ongoing cyclosporiasis \u200coutbreak that has sickened thousands of people in the country.<\/p>\n
“Based on ongoing conversations with public health officials, and out of an abundance of caution, Taco Bell has taken immediate action to voluntarily remove potentially impacted lettuce \u200bfrom a supplier in select states,” Taco \u200bBell said in a statement.<\/p>\n
“The affected ingredient from our supplier is being indefinitely removed from our supply chain nationwide and will be replaced within \u200b24 hours in select states.”<\/p>\n
Taco Bell did not name the \u2060supplier or say \u2060which states it had removed the ingredient \u200cfrom.<\/p>\n
The Washington Post reported earlier on Thursday that shredded iceberg lettuce supplied to Taco Bell restaurants by California-based supplier Taylor Farms has been identified by investigators as a potential source of contamination in the outbreak of the \u2060parasitic intestinal infection.<\/p>\n
WATCH | Lettuce suspected source of explosive diarrhea outbreak:![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/1784265791_676_default.jpg\")
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Lettuce suspected source of explosive diarrhea outbreak<\/p>\n
U.S. health officials suspect contaminated lettuce may be the source of a large cyclosporiasis outbreak in multiple states. The parasite-driven illness causes explosive diarrhea, cramping and nausea which can last for weeks.<\/p>\n
The outbreak, which began on May 1, has been concentrated in Michigan, with Ohio and New York also reporting a large number of infections. Michigan health \u200cofficials reported 4,312 cases on Thursday.<\/p>\n
While the U.S. has experienced cyclosporiasis outbreaks before, the scale and geographic spread of this year’s outbreak are significantly larger, prompting concern among health officials. Earlier this week, Taco Bell \u200bsaid it had removed a limited number of ingredients from some restaurants as a precautionary measure.<\/p>\n
Bloomberg News reported \u2060earlier on Thursday that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration is expected to soon \u2060advise consumers to avoid shredded lettuce at Taco Bell restaurants in Michigan, Ohio, West \u2060Virginia, \u2060Kentucky and Indiana.<\/p>\n
The Department \u200bof Health and Human Services, which oversees the FDA, and Taylor Farms did not immediately \u200brespond to Reuters’ requests \u2060for comment.<\/p>\n
Cyclosporiasis can be contracted by consuming food, typically raw fruits and vegetables or water contaminated with feces, and causes diarrhea, nausea and other gastrointestinal symptoms. It is not usually life-threatening and can be treated with antibiotics.<\/p>\n
The outbreak is occurring as U.S. public health officials grapple with reduced surveillance capacity due to funding cuts. <\/p>\n