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Taco Bell Removes Items Amid Cyclospora Outbreak Concerns
Business Insider • • business
Key Points:
- Taco Bell has voluntarily and temporarily removed certain ingredients from select restaurants as a precaution amid a CDC investigation into a multistate cyclospora outbreak, despite no confirmed link to the chain or its suppliers.
- The removed ingredients likely include fresh produce such as lettuce, cilantro, onions, tomatoes, and related items like guacamole and pico de gallo, based on customer reports from some Midwest locations.
- This precautionary move exceeds current CDC guidance, which recommends thorough washing of produce but acknowledges no guaranteed way to avoid cyclospora contamination.
- Cyclospora is a parasite causing prolonged diarrheal illness, and outbreaks have been linked to contaminated fresh produce; the CDC is investigating cases reported in 31 states since May 1.
- Taco Bell's caution reflects the significant reputational risks for restaurant chains during foodborne illness outbreaks, recalling past incidents like Chipotle's 2015 E. coli crisis and Taco Bell's own 2006 E. coli outbreak.
