The US authorities have launched an investigation against the Taco Bell network due to mass poisoning.

Federal authorities in the United States are investigating the involvement of Taco Bell restaurants in a large-scale outbreak of intestinal infection. This was reported by The Washington Post on July 14.

"Although we have not yet identified the specific product that caused the outbreak, we want to inform the people of Michigan of what we have learned so far so that they can take steps to protect their families. Preliminary information indicates that lettuce is the most frequent product that regularly appears during the investigation," said Natasha Baghdasaryan, Chief Medical Officer of the State of Michigan.

Some of the patients told investigators that they ate at Taco Bell. The cause of the massive disease was a parasite that causes cyclosporosis. The infection is transmitted through fresh herbs. More than 80 patients are currently hospitalized across the country. In total, several thousand people in 30 American states have been affected by the disease.

The state of Michigan has been hardest hit by the outbreak. Local specialists have registered over 2.6 thousand cases of infection there. The authorities have not yet identified a specific supplier of dangerous agricultural products.

Poisoning on a schedule: why ready-made food becomes deadly

The number of cases of salmonellosis infection is growing in the country — most often the infection is transmitted through prepared foods.

In the American city of Mountain Air on May 20, three people were killed and 19 injured after coming into contact with an "unidentified substance." It was clarified that the victims were taken to the University of New Mexico hospital. According to doctors, those hospitalized have nausea and headache.