Authorities investigate Taco Bell and lettuce in multistate cyclosporiasis outbreak

Taco Bell has not publicly explained the move or responded to multiple requests for comment.

Author of the article:

Washington Post

Lena H. Sun, The Washington Post

Published Jul 14, 2026  •  3 minute read

An exterior view shows a sign at a Taco Bell restaurant on March 30, 2020 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Photo by Ethan Miller /Getty Images

See more Toronto Sun on Google — save as a Preferred Source

Article content

Federal and state health officials are investigating whether Taco Bell restaurants played a role in one of the largest U.S. outbreaks of a gastrointestinal illness caused by a parasite that contaminates fresh produce, according to two individuals familiar with the investigation.

Article content

Recommended Videos

Article content

The two individuals spoke on the condition of anonymity because the investigation is ongoing into the outbreak of the infection that can cause days of diarrhea and has sickened thousands.

Notices posted at some Detroit-area Taco Bell restaurants last week told customers the chain was “currently unable to sell Lettuce, Cilantro Onion, Pico de Gallo, and Guacamole due to a nationwide recall,” according to media reports.

Authorities have not yet identified a specific produce grower or supplier responsible for the multistate outbreak of cyclosporiasis that has hospitalized more than 80 people. Public health officials say there could be multiple culprits.

Taco Bell has not publicly explained the move or responded to multiple requests for comment.

Article content

Article content

But Michigan, which has been the hardest hit with more than 2,600 cases, on Monday identified leafy lettuce as the leading suspected source based on interviews with more than 1,000 patients.

“While the investigation is ongoing, current results point to lettuce or salad greens as a potential source for this outbreak, although other food items cannot be completely ruled out,” the department said in a press release.

“Although we do not have a definite product identified as the source of the outbreak, we want to let Michiganders know what we have learned so far so they can take steps to protect their families,” Natasha Bagdasarian, Michigan’s chief medical executive, said in a statement.

“Early information has shown lettuce as a common product that regularly comes up during the investigation,” she said.

Cyclospora is a parasite that infects the intestines and usually causes watery diarrhea with frequent and sometimes “explosive” bowel movements, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. It is often contracted by eating or drinking something contaminated with the parasite. It is not transmitted human to human. Not everyone who gets infected experiences symptoms.

Article content

One person familiar with the national investigation said Taco Bell’s decision to remove several fresh ingredients from some restaurants was an appropriate precaution.

“It’s good the chain has already voluntarily stopped serving a number of items,” the individual said.

Some people who became ill told investigators they had eaten at Taco Bell, the person said. But others who became sick had not eaten there, suggesting the outbreak extends beyond the chain.

Public health officials have said this season’s unusually high number of illnesses, now reported in more than 30 states, means more information and more patients to help identify shared foods, shopping habits and restaurant visits among those sickened to help identify determine the source.

Cyclospora is one of the hardest foodborne pathogens to trace to its source. There’s a delay between when people consume the parasite that causes the infection and when symptoms appear, making difficult for those who become ill to remember what they ate to identify the problem. Health officials say cases are likely undercounted because some people recover without medical care and are not tested.

Article content

Cyclosporiasis cases are reported year-round in the United States, but are most common during the spring and summer months, with the season generally spanning between May 1 through Aug. 31. In the U.S., past outbreaks have been linked to various types of fresh produce, such as basil, raspberries, salad mixes, cilantro and snow peas.

The national rise this year is being driven largely by several states reporting higher-than-average numbers of cases, while others say their totals remain near seasonal norms. Michigan, for example, typically reports 40 to 50 cases of cyclosporiasis annually.

Article content