Public health officials may finally have an answer to what’s behind the cases of an explosive diarrhea outbreak in the United States — or a partial answer, at least.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) announced Thursday that shredded lettuce from Taco Bell may be responsible for a cyclosporiasis outbreak in Michigan, where state officials have reported more than 5,000 cases as of July 17, and nearby Indiana, Kentucky, Ohio, and West Virginia.
But 34 states in total have reported confirmed and suspected cyclosporiasis cases, per CDC surveillance. A source for these additional cases remains a mystery.
“CDC is also investigating other outbreaks and illnesses of cyclosporiasis nationally that are unrelated to this outbreak,” the agency said in a statement.
The federal agency has confirmed 1,645 cases of cyclosporiasis nationwide, but case counts are likely much higher, as many people will get ill and recover without getting medical care.
Cyclosporiasis can cause loud, explosive, and watery diarrhea that can last for weeks without proper treatment.
Now that one potential source has been identified, should you continue taking precautions to avoid getting sick, aside from avoiding shredded lettuce at Taco Bell? Food safety experts explain.
Don’t Let Your Guard Down, Food Safety Experts Say
“Until an outbreak has been declared to be over, and all information has been obtained and determined, we are currently working under speculations,” says Darin Detwiler, PhD, the author of the book Food Safety: Past, Present, and Predictions and a professor at Northeastern University in Boston.
Wade Syers, a doctor of social science and an extension specialist for food safety at Michigan State University in East Lansing, agrees. “All we know for sure is that there is a known risk associated with the identified Taco Bell lettuce exposure. But there may be other sources that have not been identified yet,” he says.
Microscopic Cyclospora parasites tend to stick to produce with a bumpy or uneven surface, says Dr. Detwiler. The following fruits and vegetables have been linked to cyclosporiasis outbreaks in the past:
Basil
Bagged salads and salad mixes
Cilantro
Mesclun lettuce
Parsley
Raspberries
Snow peas
Sweet peas
To protect yourself against illness, Dr. Detwiler stresses the importance of properly washing lettuce and produce. He also urges people to be cautious about ordering lettuce in restaurants right now.
If you have a compromised immune system, Detwiler suggests being especially cautious about leafy greens.
Taco Bell Is No Longer Serving the Affected Lettuce
Taco Bell said in a statement Thursday that the chain has “taken immediate action” to remove potentially impacted lettuce from its restaurants “out of an abundance of caution.” The impacted lettuce has been “indefinitely removed” from Taco Bell’s supply chain nationwide and will be replaced within 24 hours in select states, per the statement.
While public health officials have not publicly named Taco Bell’s lettuce supplier, The Washington Post identified the company as Taylor Farms, of California.
In a statement to CNN, Taylor Farms said, “While the FDA traceback is indicating a specific independent farm, which represents less than 1 percent of the U.S.’s iceberg lettuce supply, as the potential source of the outbreak, we have removed all iceberg lettuce from the region indefinitely.”
Taylor Farms doesn’t only supply shredded lettuce to Taco Bell. The brand offers bagged salads, packaged vegetable trays, and vegetable kits sold in grocery stores. However, the company told CNN none of its other products were impacted, and that none of its branded salad kits contain iceberg lettuce.
