Taco Bell has removed shredded lettuce supplied by one of its vendors from restaurants across the United States after federal health officials linked the ingredient to an ongoing cyclosporiasis outbreak that has sickened more than 1,600 people.
The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) said the precautionary action follows an investigation that identified a potential connection between shredded iceberg lettuce served at Taco Bell outlets and reported infections. The contaminated ingredient will be withdrawn from the company’s supply chain nationwide and replaced in affected locations.
According to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 1,644 confirmed cases of cyclosporiasis have been recorded among people who reported eating food from Taco Bell restaurants in Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Ohio and West Virginia. The outbreak has resulted in at least 94 hospitalisations, although no deaths have been linked to the illness.
In a statement, Taco Bell said the affected lettuce supplied by one of its vendors has been removed indefinitely from its nationwide supply chain and is being replaced in impacted states.
Authorities have not officially disclosed the identity of the supplier involved. However, reports have identified California-based Taylor Farms as a possible source of the contaminated lettuce, though this has not been confirmed by regulators or the restaurant chain.
The outbreak has also fuelled political criticism in Washington. Public health experts and Democratic lawmakers have questioned the federal government’s handling of the response, arguing that budget reductions and administrative changes have weakened disease surveillance and delayed containment efforts. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has faced criticism from opponents over the administration’s management of the situation.
The issue has also entered the political spotlight through popular culture. During a recent appearance as guest host on Jimmy Kimmel Live!, actor and comedian Ike Barinholtz mocked President Donald Trump while commenting on the outbreak. In a sarcastic segment, he criticised the federal response and referenced previous changes to CDC monitoring of the parasite responsible for cyclosporiasis, using the incident to question the administration’s public health policies.
Federal health authorities continue to investigate the source of the contamination while urging consumers and healthcare providers to remain alert for symptoms of cyclosporiasis, a parasitic intestinal infection that can cause prolonged diarrhoea and other gastrointestinal complications.
