An E. coli outbreak among patrons of New Jersey, New York, and Pennsylvania-area Taco Bell restaurants has been traced to E. coli-contminated green onions.
Taco Bell has pulled all green onions from restaurants nationwide and closed suburban Philadelphia Taco Bell stores after four E. coli cases were confirmed in Pennsylvania. The Taco Bell press release regarding its decision to remove green onions from its stores can be found at www.tacobell.com, and stated that an independent lab had been hired to test green onions from Taco Bell. Three tests came back presumptive positive for E. coli O157:H7.
The New York Times reports that 39 people in New York and New Jersey had become ill as part of the outbreak. The updated count for illnesses in central New Jersey alone is 40 today, according to the Asbury Park Press. 6abc.com out of Philadelphia has also reported that at least 4 people have become ill in Pennsylvania.