FDA Investigates Taco Bell Link to Mysterious Diarrhea Outbreak
WHO:
NY Post - A patient who experienced "explosive diarrhea" reported eating a chalupa from Taco Bell.
Drudge Report - The FDA is involved in the investigation regarding the diarrhea outbreak linked to Taco Bell.
WHAT:
CNN - Foot traffic at Taco Bell fell 16.9% on July 15 compared to the chain's average daily levels for the year, and dropped nearly 19% after federal health officials publicly identified the chain as part of the investigation on July 17.
CNN - Chopt experienced a foot traffic decline of 10.9% on July 16 and 14.3% on July 17, while Subway saw a significant decline of 19.2% on July 16 compared to daily averages before the outbreak.
NY Post - The FDA stated it still believes the explosive diarrhea parasite originated at Taylor Farms in Mexico.
NY Post - The patient stated, "There was nothing that I ate that contained lettuce except for the chalupa from the luxe box at Taco Bell."
Drudge Report - The FDA initially claimed that the lettuce supplier for Taco Bell was the source of the "explosive diarrhea" parasite but later walked back that claim.
WHERE:
NY Post - The incident is linked to Taco Bell, a fast-food restaurant chain.
WHY:
CNN - Consumers appeared wary of Taco Bell’s potential connection to the outbreak even before the official announcement from federal health officials.
NY Post - FDA officials insisted they did not apologize to Taylor Farms regarding the claims about the source of the parasite.
Drudge Report - The FDA's investigation is focused on identifying the source of the diarrhea outbreak.
HOW:
Drudge Report - The FDA's investigation process includes tracing the food supply chain related to the outbreak.
(UPDATED July 20, 2026 22:22 UTC)
Foot traffic at Taco Bell saw a significant decline of 16.9% on July 15, and this drop deepened to nearly 19% after federal health officials linked the chain to an ongoing investigation on July 17. Chopt also faced a decrease in foot traffic, with declines of 10.9% on July 16 and 14.3% on July 17, while Subway experienced a notable drop of 19.2% on July 16 compared to its average daily levels prior to the outbreak. It seems that consumers were already hesitant about Taco Bell's potential connection to the outbreak even before the official announcement was made.
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(UPDATED July 20, 2026 19:28 UTC)
The FDA has reaffirmed its belief that the explosive diarrhea parasite originated at Taylor Farms in Mexico. Despite this assertion, FDA officials have clarified that they did not issue an apology to Taylor Farms concerning the claims about the source of the parasite. This statement comes amid ongoing discussions about food safety and public health.
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(UPDATED July 20, 2026 16:25 UTC)
A patient has reported experiencing "explosive diarrhea" after eating a chalupa from Taco Bell, prompting an investigation by the FDA. Initially, the FDA suggested that the lettuce supplier for Taco Bell was the source of the outbreak, but they later retracted that claim. The agency is now focused on tracing the food supply chain to identify the true source of the diarrhea outbreak linked to the fast-food chain.