Foodborne illnesses at restaurant chains are rare but can sicken customers, roil businesses

NEW YORK (AP) — Big U.S. restaurant chains don’t get linked to foodborne illness outbreaks often. But the number of meals they serve causes a lot of concern when contamination of some kind sickens customers. Federal health officials have identified iceberg lettuce from Mexico served at Taco Bell locations in five states as a source of widespread infections from the diarrhea-causing parasite cyclospora. Cases have been reported in more than 30 states. Other recent outbreaks at Chipotle, McDonald’s, Wendy’s, Jack in the Box and Taco Bell roiled the restaurant companies and sometimes changed how food safety is regulated in the U.S.