Taco Bell has opted to stop serving lettuce in certain US states after reports linked the ingredient to a cyclosporiasis outbreak. This parasitic infection, which causes severe watery diarrhoea and appetite loss, has affected approximately 7,000 individuals across 34 states, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The restaurant chain stated the move was taken as a precaution following consultations with health authorities.
Although the specific states were not listed, Michigan has seen the highest impact with over 3,300 documented cases. The company is indefinitely replacing lettuce sourced from a specific supplier, which US media reports have identified as Taylor Farms, though Taco Bell has not officially confirmed this. Experts warn that tracking the parasite is exceptionally difficult, even with federal oversight. Symptoms of the infection typically emerge about two weeks after exposure.