• by Tanya Gazdik , Yesterday

For decades, jokes about Taco Bell and its link to intestinal discomfort have been widely circulated. 

Now, federal and state health officials are investigating whether the fast food chain played a role in one of the largest U.S. outbreaks of cyclosporiasis, a gastrointestinal illness caused by a parasite that contaminates fresh produce.

“The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said Tuesday that investigators have identified a likely epidemiological link among cyclosporiasis cases in at least four Midwestern states — Michigan, Ohio, West Virginia and Kentucky — marking the agency’s clearest public indication yet that many of the illnesses are connected by a common source,” according to The Washington Post. “Cases have been identified in at least 34 states, and additional confirmed illnesses could continue to increase through the end of August, officials said.”

CDC and Food and Drug Administration officials did not discuss whether any restaurant chains are part of the investigation. But two individuals familiar with the investigation told The Washington Post that Taco Bell's connection to the cases was being investigated. 

"The health and safety of our guests is our top priority," a spokesperson for Taco Bell told The Independent. "Public health officials have not confirmed a link to Taco Bell or any specific ingredient, supplier, restaurant or retailer. While authorities continue their broader review, Taco Bell has voluntarily and temporarily removed limited ingredients at select restaurants as a precautionary measure. We will continue to closely monitor the situation and follow the guidance of public health authorities."

“In Michigan, officials say early information points to lettuce or salad greens as a possible culprit,” according to The Associated Press. “The federal alert did not detail how many reports came from each state. But Michigan officials have reported more than 3,300 cases, officials in northwest Ohio said they have seen more than 1,100, New York City officials counted more than 400 and Illinois reported more than 200.”

Signs posted at several Taco Bell locations in Michigan last week alerted customers that the restaurants were currently unable to sell lettuce, cilantro, onion, Pico de Gallo and guacamole due to a nationwide recall.

Nicole Newcomer, a 40-year-old food-service manager from Fremont, Ohio, ended up at the hospital this week after eating at Taco Bell.

“She went to her local Taco Bell on July 7 and by the next day her stomach was upset,” according to The Wall Street Journal. “By the evening, she had diarrhea and a low grade fever, and her stomach worsened over the 24 hours. After dozens of rounds of diarrhea, she went to the local emergency room, where she said she was diagnosed with cyclosporiasis and treated for severe dehydration. … There is no official confirmation that her illness came from that restaurant.”

A connection to foodborne illness is never a good thing for restaurant business. It took years for Chipotle to recover after an E. coli outbreak in 2015. 

“Federal officials declared the outbreak over by February 2016, but the chain shut down every one of its restaurants to retrain employees and allow them to regroup,” according to The Associated Press. “By the end of the year, however, Chipotle Co-CEO Montgomery Moran stepped down as sales plunged. In 2020 Chipotle Mexican Grille agreed to pay a record $25 million fine to resolve criminal charges that it served tainted food that sickened more than 1,100 people in the U.S. between 2015 and 2018.”