US authority to warn of Taco Bell lettuce in 5 states over parasite

US regulators will tie lettuce from Taco Bell to a parasite outbreak that has sickened thousands in Michigan and nearby states, according to people familiar with the matter.

The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) will imminently issue a public statement recommending consumers avoid shredded lettuce at Taco Bell locations in Michigan, Ohio, West Virginia, Kentucky and Indiana, said the people, who were not authorised to speak publicly.

Lettuce supplier Taylor Farms is a potential source of the contamination, the Washington Post reported.

Taco Bell did not reply to multiple requests for comment. The FDA declined to comment.

The cyclospora parasite that causes severe diarrhoea has sickened people in 34 states, according to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Michigan has the largest number of cases, with more than 4,000 identified.

Earlier this week, the Mexican-inspired chain owned by Yum! Brands, said it would remove some ingredients at select restaurants “voluntarily and temporarily” as a precaution, without giving more specifics. The company also said earlier that public health officials had not confirmed a link between the outbreak and Taco Bell. Several independent restaurants also pulled lettuce and greens.

Yum shares fell 4 per cent at 5.46pm (5.46am on July 17 in Singapore) in extended trading in New York.

The outbreak has also hit the shares of the fast-casual salad chain Sweetgreen, with the stock declining about 25 per cent this week amid reports that lettuce was the culprit. The company has said that no ingredients in its supply chain have been identified in connection with investigations into cyclospora.

The burgeoning outbreak has been difficult for health authorities to track.

The disease does not spread from person to person, and it can take as long as two weeks between the time someone ingests tainted food or water and when symptoms appear. Health authorities in Michigan had earlier pointed to contaminated lettuce or salad greens as a potential source.

On July 16, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said the Trump administration is “closely monitoring” the outbreak and “committed to providing the CDC and FDA the resources that they need”. BLOOMBERG