Taco Bell Removes Lettuce From Supply Chain Amid Cyclosporiasis Outbreak

The restaurant chain said it acted out of caution after investigators linked shredded iceberg lettuce from a supplier to a parasitic intestinal illness that has sickened thousands of people in the United States.

By yourNEWS Media Newsroom

Taco Bell has removed lettuce supplied to some of its U.S. restaurants after reports connected the ingredient to an ongoing cyclosporiasis outbreak that has sickened thousands of people across the country.

The Yum Brands-owned chain announced the action Thursday, saying it was working with public health officials and had voluntarily withdrawn potentially affected lettuce in certain states.

“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 from a supplier in select states,” the company said in a statement.

Taco Bell said the ingredient would also be removed from its nationwide supply system indefinitely.

“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.

Taco Bell did not identify the supplier or disclose which states received the potentially affected lettuce.

The Washington Post reported Thursday that investigators had identified shredded iceberg lettuce supplied to Taco Bell restaurants by California-based Taylor Farms as a potential source of contamination in the outbreak.

Cyclosporiasis is a parasitic intestinal infection. The continuing outbreak has reportedly sickened thousands of people in the United States.

Taco Bell’s decision does not establish that all lettuce served by the chain was contaminated. The company described the removal as a precautionary measure taken while public health officials continue investigating the source of the illnesses.

The restaurant chain said replacement lettuce would be available within 24 hours in the affected states, while the implicated ingredient from the supplier would remain excluded from Taco Bell’s nationwide supply chain for an indefinite period.

Neither Taco Bell nor the available report provided additional information about when the potentially affected lettuce was distributed, which restaurants received it or whether customers should take any specific action.