CDC and FDA link lettuce at Taco Bell in five states to cyclospora outbreak | US news
Federal health officials have identified Mexican lettuce served at Taco Bell locations in five U.S. states as the source of a widespread outbreak of the diarrhea-causing cyclospora parasite.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) confirmed the source late Thursday and warned consumers not to eat shredded iceberg lettuce from Taco Bell restaurants in Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Ohio and West Virginia.
California-based Taylor Farms is preparing to recall ingredients linked to the expanding cyclospora outbreak. Bloomberg News reportedreferring to a document displayed by the output. Cyclospora can cause severe diarrhea, fatigue, and nausea, and symptoms can last up to a month.
Taylor Fresh Foods said Friday that none of its branded salads have been linked to the outbreak, but that it has withdrawn distribution of romaine lettuce in the region.
“While FDA traceback implicates a specific independent farm representing less than 1% of the U.S. supply of iceberg lettuce as the potential source of the outbreak, we have indefinitely removed all iceberg lettuce from the region,” the statement said. “No other Taylor Fresh Foods products nationwide were affected.”
A Food and Drug Administration (FDA) investigation identified a single supplier of romaine lettuce. The company was not identified in federal warnings to consumers.
“FDA is working with the supplier of iceberg lettuce to determine whether potentially contaminated shredded iceberg lettuce remains in the market, including in other states,” the CDC said. “Taco Bell has committed to discontinue use of lettuce from the supplier identified through the FDA traceback investigation.”
The CDC, FDA, and public health officials in several states are investigating a multi-state outbreak of cyclospora infection.
More than 30 states have reported infections this year, and available data from them shows that the number of infections has surpassed the record of nearly 4,700 set in the United States in 2019. The disease is usually not life-threatening and is usually treated with antibiotics.
On Tuesday, ahead of the federal government’s approval, Taco Bell issued a statement saying it was “voluntarily and temporarily removing limited supplies at select restaurants as a precautionary measure. We will continue to monitor the situation closely and follow the guidance of public health officials.”
Cyclospora is a microscopic, spherical parasite that often causes watery diarrhea with “frequent and sometimes explosive bowel movements,” according to the CDC. Outbreaks tend to occur most frequently in late spring and summer.
The thermophilic parasite infects the intestines and spreads through feces. In the past, people became infected by consuming fruits or vegetables exposed to irrigation water contaminated with feces.
The disease, called cyclosporiasis, is less common than foodborne illnesses caused by salmonella and other microbes. to parcel. Most cases are never linked to a specific food or other source, and a small number of outbreaks of cyclosporiasis have been reported in the United States for years. But the number started increasing about a decade ago; There was a remarkable increase especially in 2018 and 2019.
Experts say it’s likely that cases of cyclosporiasis have been historically underreported because some common tests used to check for food poisoning are not designed to detect cyclosporia. They attribute the upward trend in cases to the climate crisis and better detection.
