Taco Bell Strips Menu as Cyclosporiasis Outbreak Hits Record Levels

Taco Bell restaurants across the country are quietly removing fresh ingredients from their menus, and the reason hitting them is far from a supply chain hiccup—it’s a parasitic outbreak running at 20 times its normal annual rate.

Multiple Taco Bell locations have pulled lettuce, cilantro, onion, pico de gallo, and guacamole from their offerings as cyclosporiasis continues to spread. Some stores posted signs explaining the removal to confused customers, with at least one reading:“We are currently unable to sell Lettuce, Cilantro, Onion, Pico de Gallo, and Guacamole due to a nationwide recall.”

Michigan has become the epicenter, with the state’s Department of Health and Human Services reporting close to 1,000 cases since June 22—a staggering jump compared to the roughly 50 cases the state typically sees in a year. Cyclosporiasis, caused by the parasite Cyclospora cayetanensis, is contracted through contaminated food or water and isn’t some 24-hour inconvenience. Without treatment, symptoms can linger for weeks, bringing severe, watery diarrhea, abdominal cramping, nausea, exhaustion, and appetite loss. Cooking is the only reliable way to kill the parasite, which is why fresh produce—particularly items like raspberries, bagged lettuce, cilantro, and basil—has historically been the culprit in past outbreaks.

What’s fueling conversation online isn’t just the outbreak itself, but the timing. One year ago, the Trump administration removed a cyclospora tracking mandate from the Foodborne Disease Active Surveillance Network, raising questions about whether better federal monitoring could have caught this sooner. Some commenters pointed to CDC parasite information pages now marked as archived and no longer updated, suggesting that federal public health infrastructure around parasitic infection prevention has significantly contracted.

No specific produce grower or supplier has been identified as the outbreak’s source yet, and it remains unclear whether any Taco Bell customers have actually contracted the illness. But for now, if you’re heading to Taco Bell, expect a menu that’s missing some of its fresher, crunchier appeal.