Taco Bell's Lettuce Scare: What You Need to Know About the Explosive Diarrhea Outbreak

Taco Bell lettuce supplied by a popular produce company has been identified as a potential source of contamination behind the parasitic illness saddling thousands of Americans with explosive diarrhea, according to a new report.

Shredded iceberg lettuce supplied to the fast food chain by Taylor Farms has been linked to this summer’s outbreak of cyclosporiasis, according to two individuals familiar with the investigation, The Washington Post reported.

“The signal we have gotten is that there is a very high percentage of people who got sick at Taco Bell, and when investigators asked what their menu items were in common, lettuce came up frequently,” said one of the individuals who spoke to the outlet on the condition of anonymity due to the ongoing investigation.

When the Food and Drugs Administration asked the Mexican fast food giant where they get their lettuce from, Taylor Farms was identified as supplying to stores in Michigan and three other states, where the outbreak has been the largest, according to the source. 

Authorities in Michigan previously said that the leafy greens are suspected as the source causing hundreds of cases of the stomach illness based on interviews with over 1,000 patients. 

A number of Taco Bell restaurants across the Detroit area posted notices earlier this month advising that the chain was “currently unable to sell Lettuce, Cilantro Onion, Pico de Gallo, and Guacamole due to a nationwide recall,” local outlet WWJ reported. 

“Any items ordered that normally come with these items WILL NOT contain them,” the notice added. 

Some 11 core menu items at Taco Bell contain the shredded lettuce by default. 

In a statement, the fast-food giant said they will continue to monitor the situation in accordance with all health guidelines. 

“The health and safety of our guests is our top priority,” Taco Bell Corp. said, adding that it “voluntarily and temporarily removed limited ingredients at select restaurants as a precautionary measure.”

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention had identified a likely link among cases in Michigan, Ohio, West Virginia and Kentucky earlier this week.

So far, more than 3,400 cases have been reported in The Great Lake State and over 100 people have been hospitalized as of Thursday. 

Over 1,600 people across 34 states in the US have been confirmed to have contracted cyclosporiasis since May 1, according to the CDC.

The Taco Bell lettuce supplier Taylor Farms also supplies produce to Burger King and McDonald’s as well as bagged leafy greens, fresh produce and salad kits to supermarkets including Whole Foods and Walmart. The company has production facilities across the US, Canada, Mexico and western Europe.

Taylor Farms has been previously linked to several outbreaks — notably an E. coli outbreak at McDonald’s stemming from its raw onion.

There were 104 people impacted by thay outbreak, including one death and a subsequent FDA inspection of the Taylor Farms facility found numerous violations in food safety procedures. 

Taylor Farms did not immediately respond to The Post’s request for comment.