A Union Township woman’s lawsuit alleges that a beef Grilled Cheese Burrito from the Taco Bell on Route 22 contained a piece of rubber glove. Jurvany Damas, 37, says she ordered it at the drive-thru in the 2700 block of Route 22 East, choked after biting into it and became ill. Her complaint says the injury may require future surgery.
Damas filed her complaint in Union County Superior Court on August 20, 2026, according to NJ.com, which first reported the case. The suit names the Taco Bell franchise owners and Yum! Brands, alleging negligence, the sale of food unfit for human consumption and breach of an implied warranty under New Jersey law. It alleges the burrito contained dangerous, hazardous and inedible material.
Damas also alleges emotional distress, permanent damages, medical expenses and lost income. Taco Bell and Yum! Brands representatives did not immediately respond to requests for comment, according to NJ.com.
How Local Food Complaints Are Handled
Union Township’s Environmental Health Program says it inspects retail food establishments licensed by the Health Department. The New Jersey Department of Health directs people with restaurant or retail food complaints to the local health department for the area where the food was sold.
Another New Jersey Burrito Lawsuit
A separate Passaic County lawsuit concerned a different alleged foreign object. According to NJ.com, a lawsuit filed Jan. 30 alleged that a Clifton woman broke teeth after biting into a burrito containing a metal screw at the Taco Bell on Prospect Street in Passaic on June 17, 2025. News 12 New Jersey reported that the Passaic County case was dismissed amicably and without costs to either party on June 18, 2026.
A Separate Food-Safety Issue
The Damas lawsuit lands as Taco Bell works to move past a separate, much larger food-safety episode: a multistate cyclosporiasis outbreak that federal and state officials investigated for a possible connection to the chain's restaurants. Cyclosporiasis is a parasitic infection that can cause severe diarrhea, stomach cramps and other gastrointestinal symptoms, and the intestinal illness is caused by a parasite that can trigger explosive diarrhea in those infected. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has linked the broader multistate outbreak to recalled iceberg lettuce from Taylor Farms de Mexico that was served at Taco Bell locations and distributed elsewhere, though authorities have not confirmed the source of the outbreak and investigators are continuing to search for what caused the infections, according to News 12 New Jersey, which noted that Taco Bell says there is currently no confirmed link between its restaurants and the outbreak.
Yum! Brands reported that Taco Bell’s U.S. same-store sales fell 4% year over year in the quarter ended September 30, 2026, attributing the decline to an industrywide food-safety issue, according to CNBC. Worldwide restaurant sales fell $76 million to $4.29 billion, while the division’s operating profit declined $12 million to $255 million. Yum did not specify how much of those declines was attributable to the outbreak.
Sales Later Rebounded
The same CNBC report said Taco Bell’s sales impact was most severe over the weekend of July 18, then improved. U.S. sales rose about 3% year over year in the four weeks ended October 30, 2026. CEO Chris Turner said that since the end of September, Taco Bell U.S. had outpaced the quick-service restaurant industry in same-store sales growth.
