WASHINGTON, July 16 (DC Times Online) — Two people familiar with the investigation said federal and state health officials are reviewing whether Taco Bell restaurants played a role in a cyclosporiasis outbreak, while Michigan health officials say lettuce or salad greens are the leading suspect.
The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services said current results point to lettuce or salad greens as a possible source, but 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. The company said it had “voluntarily and temporarily removed limited ingredients at select restaurants as a precautionary measure” while it monitored the situation.
The Food and Drug Administration had not announced a Taco Bell recall, and its public notices did not show one.
Michigan health officials have described the outbreak as the state’s largest parasitic outbreak. The CDC had confirmed 843 cases in 31 states since May, according to a report citing federal figures.
