The mystery surrounding the recent outbreak of explosive diarrhea caused by the parasite cyclospora appears to have mostly been solved. Investigators have traced it to a lettuce supplier for Taylor Farms, and now Taco Bell is begging people to come back to its restaurants. They’re calling it the weirdest notes app apology of the year.
“We want you to hear it from us,” wrote the Tex-Mex chain in a screengrabbed statement shared on X. “We take your health and safety seriously and have removed all affected Taylor Farms lettuce from Taco Bell stores. So go ahead and enjoy your Taco Bell today.”
Roughly 1,644 people have reportedly fallen ill with cyclospora since May. The symptoms include what quickly became meme-ified online as “explosive diarrhea.” Last week, it was reported that the FBI had gotten involved and was investigating Taco Bell stores in Michigan. People were saying they got sick after eating the iceberg lettuce in their food, and the chain had reportedly pulled the lettuce from sale even before any national recall had been announced.
at least 2026 gave us the explosive diarrhea notes app apology https://t.co/wH147nXBSw
— matt bernstein (@mattxiv) July 17, 2026
The Tacos are fine, come out and enjoy a nice meal! pic.twitter.com/zEvTJQTdsy
— Phil Bak (@philbak1) July 17, 2026
— Darren (@Dpatcorb) July 17, 2026
Health officials have since analyzed 190 cases of cyclospora in Michigan and found them overwhelmingly linked to Taco Bell. A report by the AP alleged that the source of the bad lettuce was a company called Taylor Farms. Taylor Farms in turn blamed one of its smaller “independent” suppliers. It claims no standalone Taylor Farms-branded salads or kits were found to be contaminated, but all of the iceberg is being thrown away anyway.
“As a family owned and operated company, we are deeply concerned for those who became ill, their families, and the many Americans whose trust in the safety of their fresh produce has been shaken,” the company wrote in its own notes app-style apology on X. “That trust is something we’ve worked for decades to earn, and we are committed to doing everything in our power to restore that confidence.”
In the meantime, the FDA is still telling people to stay way from Taco Bells in Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Ohio and West Virginia, and adds that the investigating into the extent of the outbreak remains ongoing. We are not out of the woods yet, folks. Most folks seem willing to risk it, though.
“Explosive Diarrhea has never stopped me from enjoying Taco Bell before,” wrote one person on X. “It won’t start now.”
