A microscopic parasite, traced to a single farm in central Mexico, has turned an ordinary fast-food meal into a public health crisis touching 34 states and more than 1,600 lives. Shredded iceberg lettuce served at Taco Bell locations became the vehicle for Cyclosporiasis, a debilitating illness that hospitalized 94 people and cost many others weeks of work and wellbeing. The outbreak is a reminder that the modern food supply chain — spanning continents and passing through countless hands — carries invisible risks that no amount of corporate caution can fully contain after the fact. As lawsuits
Taco Bell faces lawsuits over Cyclospora outbreak linked to contaminated lettuce
1,644 people infected with Cyclosporiasis causing severe gastrointestinal illness; 94 hospitalized; affected individuals missed work and suffered debilitating symptoms including diarrhea, vomiting, and severe headaches.