THREE LAWSUITS HIT TACO BELL OVER PARASITE OUTBREAK

Three Taco Bell lawsuits followed a lettuce-linked parasite outbreak, including one from an Army veteran who said he was hospitalized.

The suits surfaced on July 17, 2026, the same day Taylor Farms announced a voluntary recall of iceberg lettuce sourced from central Mexico. The plaintiffs included Ohio men and a Michigan couple, TMZ reported.

What the plaintiffs allege

David Ott, an Army veteran, said he bought and ate Taco Supremes at an Ohio Taco Bell on June 18 and June 20. Abdominal pain, gas, diarrhea and other symptoms began a couple of days later, he said.

Ott said he was admitted to a local hospital, where he “underwent a colonoscopy, a CT scan, and extensive blood and stool studies.” He said he was diagnosed with cyclosporiasis.

Mohammed Ayyad said he ate at Taco Bell three times in June and developed headache, chills and persistent diarrhea.

WLWT reported that court filings said Ayyad sought care at a Cleveland Clinic urgent care and that his stool sample tested positive. TMZ reported he was prescribed antibiotics.

A Michigan couple alleged they ate shredded lettuce at a Taco Bell and contracted a Cyclospora infection. Their suit alleged the lettuce was “grossly contaminated with fecal matter containing the Cyclospora parasite.”

WLWT reported the suits named Taco Bell, Taylor Fresh Foods, Taylor Farms, Charter Foods and Pacific Bells, and that the plaintiffs sought a combined $1.4 million plus punitive damages. It identified another plaintiff as Valerie Caruso. The claims are allegations.

Taco Bell said it had “voluntarily and temporarily removed limited ingredients” as a precaution and that officials had not confirmed a source. Taylor Farms did not respond to TMZ’s request for comment by publication.

TMZ also reported the FDA was looking into Taylor Farms as a possible source of an outbreak affecting Midwestern states at the time.

Taco Bell has been in the news in other ways, including a Utah couple who renewed their vows at the chain.

What happened next

The FDA later concluded its investigation linked the outbreak to iceberg lettuce sourced from central Mexico and recalled by Taylor Farms de Mexico. Taco Bell indicated it stopped using lettuce from that supplier the day of the recall, the FDA said.

The CDC described an outbreak involving iceberg lettuce in 21 states. It said the lettuce was reported in exposures at various locations, including Taco Bell, and that most illnesses began before the recall.

The CDC also said “at this time, there is no risk of people getting sick with cyclosporiasis from this source.”

On September 11, 2026, the CDC declared the outbreak over, saying recent infections had declined and the recalled product was no longer available in stores or restaurants. The FDA continued investigating how the lettuce became contaminated.