Topline
Taco Bell and several franchise operators are facing at least three new federal lawsuits filed this week by customers who say they developed cyclosporiasis after eating at the chain, following a federal investigation that tied outbreaks across five states to shredded iceberg lettuce served by the fast-food company.
Health authorities have connected shredded lettuce served at Taco Bell to cyclosporiasis outbreaks reported in five states. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya)
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Key Facts
The complaints, filed in federal courts in Michigan and Ohio, accuse Taco Bell and its franchisees of negligence, breach of warranty and deceptive trade practices, alleging the companies sold lettuce contaminated with the parasite linked to the illness.
One plaintiff, Ohio resident Mohammed Ayyad, filed suit Thursday against Taco Bell franchisee Pacific Bells, alleging he became severely ill after eating at an Ohio location in mid-June. Ayyad said his symptoms included a severe headache, chills, diarrhea and vomiting, leaving him “unable to function.”
According to the lawsuit, Ayyad was later diagnosed with cyclosporiasis, missed two weeks of work and lost income. His complaint claims Pacific Bells violated Ohio breach-of-warranty and consumer sales practices laws by selling lettuce that was represented as being “of a particular standard or quality that it was not.”
In Michigan—the hardest-hit state in the cyclosporiasis outbreak—a couple sued Taco Bell on Friday, saying they ate lettuce from the chain on June 30 and later contracted the illness. Their lawsuit accuses Taco Bell of negligence and violations of Michigan’s consumer protection law.
A separate complaint filed Friday in federal court in Ohio by plaintiff Valerie Caruso alleges she visited Taco Bell three times in June before being diagnosed with cyclosporiasis in early July. Caruso also said she could not take the recommended medication because of an allergy.
Both the Michigan lawsuit and Caruso named Taylor Farms, which the Washington Post reported is the supplier of the contaminated lettuce, as a defendant.
How Has Taco Bell Responded To The Lawsuits?
Taco Bell did not address the lawsuits in response to a request for comment from Forbes. The restaurant chain said it has taken “immediate action to voluntarily remove potentially impacted lettuce from a supplier in select states” and will replace the ingredients within 24 hours.
Lawsuit References Previous Taylor Farms-Linked Outbreaks
Friday’s lawsuit filed in Michigan references two prior outbreaks linked to Taylor Farms produce and accuses the company of having a “documented history of producing and selling fresh produce contaminated with dangerous pathogens.” In 2013, a cyclosporiasis outbreak of more than 600 cases was partially linked to salad mixes supplied by Taylor Farms, according to the CDC. The CDC and Food and Drug Administration also linked a 2024 E. coli outbreak to yellow onions distributed by Taylor Farms and served at McDonald’s. “Notwithstanding this history, Taylor Farms holds itself out to the public and to its restaurant and retail customers as an industry leader in food safety,” the lawsuit says, saying the company’s claims about food safety “are belied by its record.”
How Is Taco Bell Linked To Cyclosporiasis?
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said Thursday it had linked iceberg lettuce sold at Taco Bell restaurants to cyclosporiasis outbreaks in Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Ohio and West Virginia. More than 1,644 people who contracted the illness reported eating at Taco Bell in those five states, the CDC said, adding investigators had linked the lettuce to a single supplier in Mexico. The CDC did not name the supplier, but the Washington Post reported investigators had linked the outbreak to Taylor Farms, citing unnamed sources familiar with the investigation.
What Do We Know About The Cyclosporiasis Outbreak?
The CDC has confirmed 1,645 cases spanning 34 states, though it says it is aware of at least 5,100 additional cases that have not yet been confirmed as domestically acquired cyclosporiasis. Michigan’s department of health has recorded 5,002 cases as of Friday, which is more than three times the number of illnesses it reported one week ago. Michigan’s worst-hit area is Wayne County, home to Detroit. Common symptoms of cyclosporiasis include diarrhea, which experts say can be “explosive,” as well as loss of appetite, weight loss, cramping, bloating and gas. The illness is caused by ingesting food or water contaminated with the microscopic cyclospora parasite, though the CDC says direct person-to-person transmission is unlikely.
further reading
Taco Bell Lettuce Linked To Multistate Cyclosporiasis Outbreak—But Not Every Sick Person Ate There (Forbes)
Taco Bell Supplier’s Lettuce Identified As Possible Cyclosoriasis Outbreak Source (Forbes)
Taco Bell Warned Investors About Cyclosporiasis Before The Outbreak—And These Other Chains Did Too (Forbes)
