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# Taco Bell Pulls Fresh Produce From Some Menus as Multistate Parasite Outbreak Widens, Texas Cases Reported
Taco Bell has begun stripping certain fresh produce items from menus at select locations as health officials nationwide race to pin down the source of a growing cyclosporiasis outbreak that has already sickened hundreds of people, including patients in Texas.
The fast-food giant confirmed it has “temporarily and voluntarily” removed unspecified ingredients from select restaurants while the investigation continues, though the chain stressed that no specific grower, supplier, or produce type has been officially tied to the outbreak. The company said it would continue monitoring the situation closely and follow guidance from public health authorities as more information becomes available.
## What’s Being Pulled From Menus
Signage first spotted at Taco Bell locations in the Detroit metro area alerted customers that restaurants were temporarily unable to serve lettuce, cilantro-onion mix, pico de gallo, and guacamole due to what the postings described as a nationwide recall. ,The signs told customers restaurants were currently unable to sell lettuce, cilantro onion, pico de gallo, and guacamole, prompting the chain to voluntarily pull the ingredients as a precaution.,
The affected toppings are staples on some of Taco Bell’s most popular menu items, meaning customers ordering favorites like the Crunchwrap Supreme or Cantina Chicken Bowl at impacted locations may notice their food arriving without the usual fresh garnishes. Customers can still place their regular orders, but items typically served with the removed ingredients will simply come without them until supplies are cleared for use again.
While the removals were first documented in Michigan, reporting indicates the practice may not be limited to that state, and industry observers say more locations could pull similar ingredients as the outbreak investigation continues to unfold.
## Texas Not Immune to the Outbreak
The illness has reached Texas as well. ,Health officials say the parasite linked to fresh produce is spreading in Texas and can cause explosive diarrhea., As a precaution, ,some Taco Bell locations have removed lettuce, cilantro, onions, pico de gallo and guacamole from their menus, in the state as well.
Importantly, ,health officials continue to investigate the source of the outbreak, and no link has been established between Taco Bell and the illnesses, in Texas or elsewhere. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has listed Texas among a growing roster of states reporting cyclospora cases, a group that also includes ,Ohio, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia and Wisconsin,, along with Michigan, Illinois, Indiana, New York, and North Carolina.
## The Scale of the Outbreak
Federal data paints a picture of an outbreak that has spread rapidly since spring. ,The CDC has confirmed 843 cases of cyclosporiasis across 31 states since May,, and ,86 hospitalizations had been reported nationwide as of July 9,.
Michigan remains the hardest-hit state by far. ,More than 1,500 people had fallen ill in Michigan alone as of the most recent count,, dwarfing case totals reported elsewhere. State health officials there have started to zero in on a possible culprit: ,Michigan health officials said this week they believe the outbreak is linked to leafy lettuce,, though that connection has not yet been confirmed at the national level or definitively tied to any single restaurant chain.
## What Is Cyclosporiasis?
Cyclosporiasis is caused by a microscopic parasite that spreads primarily through contaminated food or water. ,The illness is caused by a parasite called Cyclospora cayetanensis, which infects people who eat food or drink water contaminated with it and can trigger weeks of explosive bowel movements., Beyond the hallmark digestive symptoms, ,the illness can also cause stomach cramps, nausea, bloating, fatigue, loss of appetite, and weight loss,.
The good news for most patients is that the illness rarely turns deadly. ,Cyclosporiasis is typically not fatal or life-threatening, but some people with the infection are hospitalized for help managing symptoms., Health officials note that certain groups face elevated risk from the dehydration that severe diarrhea can cause. ,Those recommendations are particularly important for people at higher risk of dehydration or with weakened immune systems, such as chemotherapy patients, organ transplant recipients, infants, young children, and the elderly.,
Historically, outbreaks of this kind have been traced back to specific categories of fresh produce. ,Past cyclospora outbreaks have been associated with fresh produce including leafy greens, cilantro, basil, berries, and green onions.,
## Precautions for Consumers
State health agencies are urging both restaurants and home cooks to take extra precautions with raw produce while the investigation continues. In Michigan, regulators have issued specific handling guidance, recommending steps such as ,washing fresh herbs under running water, choosing cooked or frozen raspberries over fresh, cooking snow peas, using whole heads of lettuce instead of prewashed bagged lettuce, and trimming and removing the outer layer of green onions,.
More broadly, federal health officials are advising diners to be cautious with raw produce until a definitive source is pinpointed. ,Health officials recommend thoroughly washing produce and cooking it when possible to reduce the risk of infection.,
## What Happens Next
For now, the investigation remains fluid, and no single ingredient or supplier has been formally blamed. ,Taco Bell has not been officially identified as the source of the parasite, and the ingredient removals are widely seen as a proactive, precautionary move rather than an admission of fault., Still, with case counts climbing and the geographic footprint of the outbreak expanding into new states, food safety analysts caution that additional restaurants — and potentially additional ingredients — could be pulled from shelves and menus in the days ahead as investigators work to close in on the true source.
Dallas-area customers who have recently eaten at Taco Bell and experienced prolonged watery diarrhea, stomach cramps, or unexplained fatigue are encouraged to consult a physician and report symptoms to local health authorities, who continue to track new cases as part of the broader multistate investigation. Dallas Headlines will continue to follow this developing story as health officials release further updates.