As an explosive diarrhea outbreak splatters across the country, Taco Bell is preparing for the worst.
This week, the fast food chain — or at least its locations in Michigan — began temporarily pulling some of its staple ingredients to help stop the spread of cyclosporiasis, a foodborne parasite that causes sufferers to go running to the toilet even more often than a standard Taco Bell meal might.
Many of your favorite menu items, like the Crunchwrap Supreme and the Cantina Chicken bowl, may be imperiled.
“We are currently unable to sell Lettuce, Cilantro Onion, Pico de Gallo, and Guacamole due to a nationwide recall,” a notice posted at locations in Metro Detroit reads, Michigan outlet WWJ reported. “Any items ordered that normally come with these items WILL NOT contain them,” it stressed.
It doesn’t sound like any cases of cyclosporiasis-related explosive diarrhea have been linked to Taco Bell yet, so the fast food chain is probably just trying to err on the side of caution.
So far, nearly 3,000 people have been infected with the foodborne parasite, with around 86 hospitalized, NBC News reported, citing data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Michigan appears to be one of the epicenters, accounting for over half the reported cases so far.
Cyclosporiasis symptoms are pretty gnarly, but usually not life threatening. It can cause stomach cramps and a lengthy bout of explosive diarrhea. The intensifier is warranted: one sufferer who spoke to the New York Post was in awe of the “amount of pressure when it comes out,” adding that the “force is crazy.”
No food items have been recalled yet related to the outbreak. The virus is usually found on fresh produce, but we don’t know what specific food items are spreading it or the supplier they come from. Cyclosporiasis is notoriously hard to track because the symptoms usually don’t present until at least a week after the contaminated food is ingested.
They may not all come from the same source, the CDC cautioned, and what we’re seeing could be a cluster of unrelated outbreaks.
To protect yourself, the best thing to do is thoroughly wash and cook your veggies, which you should still eat. And maybe skip on the fast food.
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