Hospital Visit Linked to Taco Bell Menu Item

A fast food customer was rushed to the hospital due to severe gastrointestinal issues, claiming a new Taco Bell menu item may be to blame. This situation has prompted health authorities to further investigate the source of the concerning illness.

Alonso Zaragoza, 46, from Chicago, spent several days in the emergency room with symptoms like sleeplessness, chills, fever, and diarrhea, which he described as “explosive.” He even experienced vomiting believed to be related to a parasitic infection.

“I couldn’t find anything with lettuce in it except for the chalupa from the premium box at Taco Bell,” Zaragoza mentioned.

After checking the app and searching online, he found that the item contained iceberg lettuce, which he typically associates with being healthy.

Starting around July 11, Zaragoza noted experiencing intense symptoms, needing to use the bathroom almost every hour and a half.

“Honestly, I don’t think I managed more than an hour and a half of sleep at a time last week,” he added.

After noticing blood in his stool, he went to Northwestern Hospital’s ER, prompted by concerns from his family.

“They took blood samples, stool samples, and hooked me up to an IV,” Zaragoza recounted.

Healthcare professionals indicated that he might have contracted an intestinal illness, part of an outbreak affecting around 7,000 individuals across 34 states since May.

Zaragoza noted he endured four days of insomnia, chills, fever, diarrhea, vomiting, and a five-pound weight loss, plus a midnight trip to the emergency room, as he shared on social media.

This health crisis aligns with a re-examination by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) about the root cause of the outbreak.

Initially, lettuce samples from Taco Bell’s supplier, Taylor Farms, tested positive for Cyclospora. However, upon further review, these results were found to be false positives.

According to the FDA, laboratory experts stated that none of the product samples have been confirmed as positive for Cyclospora at this point.

On Friday, Taylor Farms announced a voluntary recall of all iceberg lettuce sourced from central Mexico.

Taco Bell also reported last week that it had removed the affected lettuce from its stores.

As of now, both Taco Bell and Taylor Farms have yet to provide updates on the situation.

Zaragoza is now advising others to be cautious about their vegetable consumption.

“Stay hydrated, be mindful of where you eat, and ensure you wash, clean, and cook your vegetables properly,” he urged.