Taco Bell experienced a sharp drop in customer traffic after a Cyclospora parasite outbreak linked to contaminated lettuce raised food safety concerns across the United States. Customer visits to Taco Bell restaurants on July 17 were about 31% below the chain’s average Friday traffic for the year, according to location analytics firm Placer.ai, as cited by Forbes.
The decline came after health authorities connected a multistate Cyclospora outbreak to shredded iceberg lettuce supplied by Taylor Farms and served at Taco Bell and other restaurant chains.
The outbreak investigation has now expanded to include Illinois, Kansas, Oklahoma and Pennsylvania, in addition to Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Ohio and West Virginia. Nearly 1,950 confirmed illnesses have been directly linked to the contaminated lettuce, with at least 98 hospitalisations reported. No deaths have been recorded.
Taco Bell’s response
As concerns over contaminated produce spread, Taco Bell removed the affected lettuce from its US restaurants and introduced lettuce-free menu options, including a promotional $1 Enchirito, to help limit the impact on sales.
The outbreak has also affected parent company Yum! Brands, whose shares have fallen about 6% since July 14, when Taco Bell first announced precautionary menu changes before federal investigators officially linked the illnesses to its lettuce supply.
The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has confirmed more than 4,100 laboratory-confirmed Cyclospora infections nationwide since May 1 and is investigating over 7,400 additional probable cases across 41 states.
Taylor Farms has recalled iceberg lettuce sourced from central Mexico and suspended sourcing from the region. Taco Bell has removed the affected lettuce from all its US restaurants as a precaution. However, the FDA says investigators are still examining whether additional products, restaurants or distribution channels may also be involved.
Michigan bears the brunt
Michigan has emerged as the hardest-hit state, reporting more than 8,100 cases. Local and state health departments say they are struggling to investigate the outbreak because of staffing shortages and reduced federal funding. Officials have reassigned personnel from other public health programmes and recruited volunteers to conduct lengthy patient interviews needed to trace the source of infections.
What is Cyclospora?
Cyclospora is a microscopic parasite that spreads when food or water becomes contaminated with human feces. Fresh produce, particularly leafy vegetables irrigated or washed with contaminated water, is among the most common sources. Infection causes intestinal illness characterised by frequent and sometimes explosive diarrhoea, abdominal cramps, nausea, fatigue and loss of appetite.
Unlike many bacterial foodborne illnesses, Cyclospora cannot be traced through advanced laboratory fingerprinting, forcing investigators to rely on detailed interviews that can take up to 45 minutes for each patient.
Investigation continues
Although FDA investigators continue to focus on Taylor Farms’ lettuce from central Mexico, Mexican health authorities said tests conducted on lettuce and water samples collected from the company’s Guanajuato facility did not detect the parasite.
Meanwhile, the FDA has also opened a separate investigation into another Cyclospora outbreak involving at least 72 illnesses whose source has not yet been identified. Federal officials caution that the investigation remains ongoing and that additional brands, restaurants or retailers could eventually be linked to the outbreak.
