- Federal health officials have identified lettuce from Mexico served at Taco Bell locations in Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Ohio, and West Virginia as the source of a widespread cyclospora outbreak .
- The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) warned consumers against eating shredded iceberg lettuce from these specific Taco Bell restaurants, with a federal official identifying Taylor Farms of Salinas, California, as the supplier.
- A record number of cyclospora cases have been reported across more than 30 states this year, surpassing the previous U.S. record of approximately 4,700 cases set in 2019.
- Taco Bell has voluntarily stopped using lettuce from the identified supplier as a precautionary measure, and the FDA is investigating if potentially contaminated lettuce remains on the market, including in other states.
- Cyclospora is a microscopic parasite that causes watery diarrhea, typically treated with antibiotics, and experts suggest the increasing trend in cases may be due to climate change and better detection methods.
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