McDonald's removing salads from 3,000 U.S. stores after parasitic illness

HEALTH

McDonald's removing salads from 3,000 U.S. stores after parasitic illness

The Associated Press Published Friday, July 13, 2018 5:53PM EDT

This Tuesday, June 28, 2016, file photo shows a McDonald's sign at one of the company's restaurants in Miami. (Alan Diaz, File/AP Photo)

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CHICAGO -- McDonald's is stopping the sale of salads at 3,000 restaurants after people became sick from a parasite causing intestinal illness.

The Chicago-based fast-food chain said Friday it's acting "out of an abundance of caution" until switching to another supplier. Health officials in Illinois and Iowa say they've identified roughly 100 combined cases of cyclosporiasis apparently linked to consuming McDonald's salads. The illness is caused by the Cyclospora parasite.

McDonald's is removing the lettuce blend from identified restaurants and distribution centres. At least one of the affected restaurants is in each of the following states: Illinois, Iowa, Indiana, Wisconsin, Michigan, Ohio, Minnesota, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota, Montana, Kentucky, West Virginia and Missouri.

The most common symptom is watery diarrhea. Other symptoms could include appetite loss, intestinal pain, nausea and fatigue.