WASHINGTON, July 16 (DC Times Online) — Michigan health officials say lettuce or salad greens are the leading suspect in a cyclosporiasis outbreak that investigators are examining for a possible Taco Bell link, but no specific brand, supplier or FDA recall has been identified.
The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services said current results point to lettuce or salad greens as a potential source, though other food items cannot be ruled out. The agency said no specific type of produce, grower or supplier has been identified.
Taco Bell said public health officials have not confirmed a link to the chain or to any specific ingredient, supplier, restaurant or retailer. In a statement to Fox Business, the company said it had “voluntarily and temporarily removed limited ingredients at select restaurants” as a precaution.
Two people familiar with the investigation told The Washington Post that federal and state health officials are reviewing whether Taco Bell restaurants played a role in the outbreak. Fox Business reported that the FDA had not announced a Taco Bell recall and that its public notices page did not show one.
Michigan officials have reported 3,309 cases as of July 9 and have described the outbreak as the state’s largest parasitic outbreak. The CDC had confirmed 843 cases across 31 states since May, with 86 hospitalizations, according to CDC counts reported by The Independent.
