Taco Bell Linked to Salmonella Outbreak: What is the Bacteria, How to Recover

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has linked Yum Brands Inc. Taco Bell to a salmonella outbreak that sickened 68 people in 10 states last October.

Food Safety News said that that while a report from the CDC on Jan. 19 did not name Taco Bell as the fast food chain responsible for the outbreak of Salmonella Enteritidis, a document from Oklahoma's State Department of Health's Acute Disease Service did.

The CDC has said in their report that the outbreak seems to be over, but couldn't find a link between the outbreak and a specific ingredient. The agency believe the contamination likely happened at the supplier level before the food was delivered to any restaurant or food outlet.

The 10 states affected late last year were Texas with 43 people sick, Oklahoma with 16, Kansas with two, and Michigan, Missouri, Nebraska, New Mexico, Ohio and Tennessee with one. Officials speculate that these illnesses began in mid-October. Thirty-one percent of the patients were hospitalized but no deaths were reported, the CDC reported.

Taco Bell issued a statement on Wednesday, noting that that investigators found that only some people who ate at Taco Bell became ill.

They believe that the problem likely occurred at the supplier level before it was delivered to any restaurant or food outlet. We take food quality and safety very seriously, Taco Bell stated, following the CDC's report.

Within the past six years Taco Bell has been linked to two other outbreaks. In 2006, 71 people were sickened by an outbreak of E. coli O157 at Taco Bell from contaminated lettuce. In 2010, 155 people in 21 states became sick after two outbreaks of rare strains of salmonella.

Symptoms and Recovery Time

Chicken, eggs, unprocessed milk and contaminated water can all contain the salmonella bacteria if poorly cooked. Food prepared on surfaces that have been contaminated by raw chicken or turkey is also susceptible to salmonella. Like other forms of food poisoning, salmonella symptoms are fever, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, loss of appetite and cramps.

The CDC states that recovery generally take five to seven days. According to WebMD, salmonella is rare, but often can occur in those who are young, older, or with compromised immune system.

The best way to recover from salmonella poisoning is to drink a lot of water. Salmonella causes the body to become dehydrated because of the diarrhea or vomiting. Caffeine, alcohol, dairy, spicy foods, and deep-fried food are best to stay away from, because they can dehydrate your body even more.

More importantly, it is best to keep your strength up. Stay off your feet, and while it may be hard to feel hungry, you should try consuming food a little bit at a time.