Taco Bell Removes Ingredients Amid Nationwide "Explosive Diarrhea" Outbreak
The nationwide cyclospora outbreak has grown to nearly 7,000 confirmed and suspected cases across more than 30 states, prompting Taco Bell to temporarily pull select ingredients from some locations as investigators work to identify the source.
According to a CDC health alert, 1,645 domestic cases have been formally confirmed since May 1, with an additional 5,100 cases still under review to determine whether they meet the criteria for domestically acquired cyclosporiasis. At least 141 people have been hospitalized, though no deaths have been reported. The case count marks a dramatic increase compared to past years: the CDC reported roughly 249 cases by this same point in 2025, and about 2,700 total for the entire year.
Taco Bell's Response
Taco Bell confirmed Tuesday that it has "voluntarily and temporarily removed limited ingredients at select restaurants as a precautionary measure," following reports that federal and state investigators were examining a possible connection to the chain. "The health and safety of our guests is our top priority," the company said in a statement. "Public health officials have not confirmed a link to Taco Bell or any specific ingredient, supplier, restaurant or retailer. While authorities continue their broader review, Taco Bell has voluntarily and temporarily removed limited ingredients at select restaurants as a precautionary measure. We will continue to closely monitor the situation and follow the guidance of public health authorities."
Signs posted at Taco Bell locations in Michigan have specifically warned customers about the removal of lettuce, a cilantro-onion mix, pico de gallo and guacamole, according to Detroit media reports. Customers ordering menu items that typically include those ingredients can still receive them without the affected produce. The FDA's Donald Prater, the agency's acting deputy commissioner for food, did not directly confirm or deny that Taco Bell was under specific scrutiny during a press call Tuesday, saying only that the agency "is continuing its traceback investigation on multiple produce items, also including locations that are reported by the case patients before they became sick." News of the investigation has also affected Taco Bell's parent company, Yum Brands, whose stock fell more than 3% following the reports.
Other chains have also responded to the outbreak. Chipotle's chief corporate affairs and food safety officer, Laurie Schalow, said in a statement that the company does not believe its sourced ingredients are associated with the outbreak, though it continues to monitor the situation.
Michigan Remains the Epicenter
Michigan continues to account for the largest share of cases nationally, with 3,309 confirmed cyclosporiasis cases and 44 hospitalizations reported as of July 14, compared with a typical annual total of about 50 cases in the state. Michigan health officials said that based on more than 1,000 interviews with people who tested positive, lettuce or salad greens have emerged as a likely, though not confirmed, common exposure. "We have seen some signals. We are looking for signals, and we are seeing some early signals," said Dr. Natasha Bagdasarian, Michigan's chief medical executive.
Ohio, New York, North Carolina and Illinois have also reported case surges into the hundreds, and the CDC suspects that at least 400 cases across Michigan, Ohio, West Virginia and Kentucky may be connected as part of a single outbreak, though investigators say it remains unclear whether other state-level clusters are linked to that same source or represent separate incidents.
Why the Source Remains Elusive
Investigators face several compounding challenges in tracing the outbreak. Cyclospora testing isn't included in most standard stool workups, meaning doctors must specifically request it when the illness is suspected, and the parasite sheds intermittently, sometimes requiring multiple tests to detect. Because symptoms can take one to two weeks to appear after exposure, patients are often asked to recall meals from weeks earlier, complicating traceback efforts.
Compounding the issue, the CDC scaled back one of its foodborne illness surveillance systems in 2025 following staffing and funding cuts, a reduction former CDC Director Dr. Robert Redfield called concerning. "I don't think it's in our country's interest to cut these programs back," he told CNN. "Surveillance is sort of the key to early identification."
What to Know About the Illness
Cyclosporiasis is caused by Cyclospora cayetanensis, a microscopic parasite that spreads when contaminated water or improper food handling introduces fecal matter to produce like lettuce, herbs or berries. Once ingested, the parasite is notoriously difficult to remove through washing alone; experts say scrubbing or cutting away affected portions of produce is more effective than rinsing, soaking or using commercial vegetable washes.
Symptoms typically begin about a week after exposure, though onset can range from two to 14 days, and include watery, sometimes explosive diarrhea, along with fatigue, nausea, bloating, loss of appetite and weight loss. Without treatment, symptoms can persist on and off for a month or longer. The illness is generally not life-threatening and is most commonly treated with the antibiotic Bactrim.
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