On Tuesday, the Taco Bell restaurant chain announced it had voluntarily and temporarily pulled certain ingredients from select locations as a precaution. The company said it would keep a close eye on the situation and would follow guidance from public health authorities.
During a Tuesday teleconference with reporters, federal health officials did not directly answer whether Taco Bell or any particular supplier or food distributor was under investigation.
“No doubt, the FDA is continuing its investigation to trace multiple agricultural products, including the sites that patients pointed to before they became ill,” said Donald Prater, the acting deputy commissioner for foods at the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
Cyclospora is a microscopic, spherical parasite that typically causes watery diarrhea, with frequent stools and, on occasion, explosive bouts, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Outbreaks tend to occur more frequently in late spring and during the summer.
This parasite, which thrives in warmer conditions, infects the intestine and spreads through fecal matter. In the past, people have become infected after consuming fruits or vegetables that had been exposed to irrigation water contaminated with feces.
