Taco Bell cyclosporiasis is pushing some restaurants to strip lettuce, tomatoes and onions from menus as the outbreak keeps growing. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention tallied over 840 cases on July 9, while Michigan health officials reported over 1,500 cases and 44 hospitalizations.
Bill Marler, a food safety lawyer, said consumers need to be cautious at home and in restaurants. “Consumers, whether they’re at home or at restaurants, have to be a bit more cautious and, frankly, paranoid,” he told. He added: “It is not pleasant, and it can last for months.”
Dipisa’s Pizza in Stevensville
On July 10, Dipisa’s Pizza in Stevensville, Michigan, said it was removing lettuce, tomatoes and onions from the menu. The restaurant said, “Rather than take any unnecessary risks, we've decided it's best to pause serving these fresh produce items until more information is available and the situation is resolved.”
That response shows how restaurants are reacting while the source remains unsettled. Fresh produce can carry cyclospora, yet investigators were still trying to sort out what was driving the rise in cases.
Chipotle on July 11
On July 11, Laurie Schalow said Chipotle was monitoring the cyclospora investigation and did not believe the ingredients it sources were associated. She said: “We are aware of the cyclospora investigation and at this time, we don’t believe the ingredients we source are associated.” She also said: “We are monitoring the situation closely and evaluating any new information as it becomes available.”
“The health and safety of our guests and team members is our highest priority,” Schalow said in the emailed statement.
YUM! Brands and other chains
reached out to Taco Bell’s parent company YUM! Brands and several other major fast-food chains about the outbreak. None of the chains immediately returned ’s requests for comment.
Cyclosporiasis can cause watery bowel movements, explosive diarrhea, fatigue, loss of appetite, nausea and vomiting, and symptoms can linger for more than a month without treatment. With cases still rising and investigators still tracing the source, the practical step for consumers is to avoid produce from restaurants that have changed menus and to watch for prolonged symptoms after eating fresh food.
