Is lettuce still safe to eat amid Taco Bell illness probe? Doctors answer

A Cyclospora parasite outbreak has enactment lettuce successful the spotlight arsenic investigators analyse a imaginable nexus to Taco Bell, raising concerns among consumers astir whether it's inactive harmless to devour caller greens.

While investigators person not identified a circumstantial merchandise oregon supplier arsenic the root of the outbreak, interviews with sick patients person repeatedly pointed to lettuce and different crockery greens arsenic communal exposures, and galore of those patients besides reported eating astatine Taco Bell earlier becoming ill.

PARASITIC INFECTION CAUSING ‘EXPLOSIVE’ STOMACH ILLNESS EXCEEDS 1,000 CASES IN NORTHERN STATE

State and national wellness officials – including the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS), CDC and FDA – are investigating a imaginable nexus betwixt caller ingredients served astatine definite Taco Bell locations and the Cyclospora outbreak.

A Cyclospora parasite outbreak has enactment lettuce successful the spotlight arsenic investigators analyse a imaginable nexus to Taco Bell, raising concerns among consumers astir whether it's inactive harmless to devour caller greens. (iStock, Getty)

The concatenation has voluntarily removed prime caller ingredients astatine definite locations portion nationalist wellness officials proceed their investigation.

EXPERIMENTAL VACCINE SHOWS PROMISE AGAINST DANGEROUS INTESTINAL ILLNESS

In an email connection to Fox News Digital, Taco Bell Corp. said: "The wellness and information of our guests is our apical priority. Public wellness officials person not confirmed a nexus to Taco Bell oregon immoderate circumstantial ingredient, supplier, edifice oregon retailer. While authorities proceed their broader review, Taco Bell has voluntarily and temporarily removed constricted ingredients astatine prime restaurants arsenic a precautionary measure. We volition proceed to intimately show the concern and travel the guidance of nationalist wellness authorities."

What is Cyclospora?

Cyclospora is simply a microscopic parasite (Cyclospora cayetanensis) that infects the tiny intestine aft radical devour contaminated nutrient oregon water, according to the CDC.

The bureau confirmed that 1,645 home Cyclospora cases person been reported since May 1, astir often linked to caller produce, including leafy greens, cilantro and berries.

State and national wellness officials – including the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS), CDC and FDA – are investigating a imaginable nexus betwixt caller ingredients served astatine definite Taco Bell locations and the Cyclospora outbreak. (AP Photo/Jeff Amy, File)

The CDC is besides investigating much than 5,100 further suspected cases, with a full of 145 radical having been hospitalized with the infection.

"Cyclosporiasis is not mostly a life-threatening unwellness for astir people," Tammy Lundstrom, MD, elder vice president and main aesculapian serviceman of Trinity Health successful Michigan, told Fox News Digital.

DEADLY LEGIONNAIRES' DISEASE OUTBREAK SPARKS CONCERN IN MAJOR US CITY: KNOW THE SYMPTOMS

"The biggest interest is that it tin origin severe, prolonged diarrhea that whitethorn past for weeks oregon adjacent longer if it's not diagnosed and treated."

People should question aesculapian attraction if they person lasting, terrible diarrhea. The symptoms tin beryllium precise prolonged successful radical with compromised immune systems, Lundstrom noted.

Experts stock nutrient information guidance

Dr. Marc Siegel, Fox News elder aesculapian analyst, said the parasite has been chiefly identified successful packaged lettuce and crockery bags, but nary peculiar marque has been pinpointed.

"In the meantime, the champion strategy is to lavation lettuce and each crockery greens thoroughly and to lavation your hands with soap and h2o earlier and aft preparing food," helium told Fox News Digital, adding that "the chances of acquiring it inactive remains highly low."

Doctors accidental the parasite has been chiefly identified successful packaged lettuce and crockery bags, but nary peculiar marque has been pinpointed. (iStock)

Registered dietitian nutritionist Caroline Margolis, the on-staff registered dietitian astatine Lifeway Foods, an Illinois-based institution champion known for its kefir and different cultured dairy products, besides weighed successful connected the risk.

"While wellness officials person identified lettuce arsenic the apt culprit, the nonstop root remains unknown," she told Fox News Digital.

For now, she recommends skipping prewashed, bagged lettuce and crockery mixes.

TEST YOURSELF WITH OUR LATEST LIFESTYLE QUIZ

"Instead, take full heads of lettuce, discarding the outer 2 to 3 leaves, and lavation and rinse thoroughly," Margolis advised. "If you bash make cyclosporiasis, enactment hydrated and question aesculapian attraction if needed."

"Be definite to enactment your betterment with nutrient-rich, easy-to-digest foods and probiotic options similar kefir, yogurt, bananas, apples and oatmeal."

The parasite tin origin severe, prolonged diarrhea that whitethorn past for weeks oregon adjacent longer if it's not diagnosed and treated. (iStock)

Lundstrom reiterated that it ’s unclear whether immoderate circumstantial caller nutrient is responsible, adjacent though past outbreaks person sometimes been linked to fruits and vegetables.

"Federal nationalist wellness authorities person not issued immoderate warnings to debar lettuce oregon different caller nutrient astatine this time," she told Fox News Digital. "It is recommended to thoroughly lavation lettuce and different leafy greens, which tin importantly trim the magnitude of immoderate pathogen present."

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

Until further accusation is known, Lundstrom said iceberg is presently a amended enactment for lettuce. She recommends archetypal washing the full head, past discarding the outermost leaves.

"Be definite to lavation your hands thoroughly erstwhile handling and preparing caller produce," she added.

CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR OUR HEALTH NEWSLETTER

For those who privation to instrumentality further precautions, frozen and canned nutrient whitethorn beryllium safer options, according to the dietitian.

"It’s important to travel CDC recommendations for harmless nutrient and rootlike handling and mentation to assistance trim the hazard of illness," she said.

The CDC recommends washing each fruits and vegetables thoroughly nether moving h2o earlier eating, cutting oregon cooking. (iStock)

Those recommendations see the following.

• Wash hands with soap and h2o earlier and aft handling oregon preparing earthy fruits and vegetables.
• Wash each fruits and vegetables thoroughly nether moving h2o earlier eating, cutting oregon cooking.
• Fruits and vegetables that are labeled "prewashed" bash not request to beryllium washed again astatine home.
• Scrub steadfast fruits and vegetables, specified arsenic melons and cucumbers, with a cleanable nutrient brush.
• Cut distant immoderate damaged oregon bruised areas connected fruits and vegetables earlier preparing and eating.
• Refrigerate cut, peeled oregon cooked fruits and vegetables arsenic soon arsenic imaginable (within 2 hours).

CLICK HERE FOR MORE HEALTH STORIES

Lundstrom added, "It's important to retrieve that fruits and vegetables successful each forms are an indispensable portion of our regular steadfast diet, and by exercising these applicable preventive steps, radical tin inactive bask these nutritious foods."