Ohio lawsuits filed against Taco Bell over ‘explosive diarrhea’ parasite outbreak
Two Ohio lawsuits have been filed against Taco Bell over the Cyclospora outbreak that has sickened more than 1,600 people across five states, including Ohio.
Earlier this month, 614NOW first reported that Franklin County was among the Ohio counties with confirmed Cyclospora cases. Federal investigators have since linked the multistate outbreak to shredded iceberg lettuce served at Taco Bell restaurants.
The lawsuits, filed in Ohio, allege that customers became seriously ill after eating contaminated food from Taco Bell locations in the state. One lawsuit was filed on behalf of an Army veteran who says he became sick after eating at a Youngstown Taco Bell. Another was filed by an Ohio woman who says she contracted the parasitic illness after eating at a Taco Bell in northeast Ohio.
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According to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, as of July 21, the outbreak had resulted in 1,644 illnesses and 94 hospitalizations across Ohio, Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan and West Virginia. The FDA says its investigation has traced the outbreak to shredded iceberg lettuce supplied to Taco Bell restaurants in those states.
The lawsuits accuse Taco Bell and, in some cases, its lettuce suppliers of negligence, alleging they failed to provide safe food and seeking damages for the illnesses allegedly caused by the contaminated lettuce.
Taco Bell has said it voluntarily removed this particular lettuce from restaurants while the FDA investigates.
Taco Bell has denied that its food safety standards fell short and said it acted quickly once federal investigators identified shredded iceberg lettuce as the likely source of the outbreak. The company said it voluntarily removed the affected lettuce from restaurants in the impacted states before expanding the removal nationwide, completing the process by July 17. Taco Bell also said it has been working closely with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and its suppliers throughout the investigation.
In a statement, the company said the lawsuits “mischaracterize Taco Bell’s actions” and that customer safety remains its highest priority. Taco Bell added that it is committed to supporting affected customers and to ensuring the contaminated ingredient does not return to its restaurants while the investigation continues.
Cyclospora is a microscopic parasite that can cause prolonged diarrhea, stomach cramps, nausea, fatigue and other gastrointestinal symptoms. Symptoms typically begin about a week after exposure and can last for weeks if left untreated.
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