Trust in Every Bite
At Taco Bell, earning our fans' trust starts with serving food people can feel good about. Food safety is built into how we operate – from the suppliers we choose and the ingredients we source to how food is transported and prepared in our restaurants. Behind it all are rigorous standards, science, trained team members, and experts who help us stay ahead of risk. We are proud of our longstanding leadership in food safety and we’re always working to strengthen our standards – at Taco Bell and beyond.
(1) Standards + Safeguards
Our food safety standards start well before ingredients reach our restaurants and are maintained throughout every step of the supply chain.
Suppliers & Sourcing
We choose suppliers who consistently meet rigorous food safety, quality, regulatory and operational requirements. All suppliers undergo third-party audits against Global Food Safety Initiative (GFSI)-benchmarked standards.
Once approved, suppliers are expected to maintain food safety and traceability standards, and continually improve their practices. From there, we regularly assess suppliers for ongoing compliance based on a variety of factors such as processing methods, performance and emerging risks.
How we select and verify suppliers
GFSI-recognized certification and documented Hazard Analysis & Critical Control Points (HACCP) or preventive-controls programs, where applicable.
Review of food safety documentation, supplier audits, microbiological and product testing, supplier performance and risk profile assessments.
Training and supplier development programs to strengthen preventive controls and address vulnerabilities .
Supply Chain & Traceability
Our focus on food safety continues as food leaves the supplier and moves from shipment to restaurant. We use temperature, storage, transportation and traceability controls to ensure food safety and quality along the way.
We use GS1-standardized barcode labeling to support consistent lot identification and tracking. We also conduct mock recalls to test our systems, identify and locate affected products, communicate with restaurants and act quickly.
How our traceability and recall systems work
Our traceability systems leverage different technologies including real-time GPS, cellular connectivity, and temperature monitoring and logging devices to track and share critical supply chain information with our partners. This visibility enables us to quickly identify potential disruptions and take proactive action when unexpected events occur in the supply chain.
Mock recall and recovery exercises test systems, processes and communication protocols under realistic conditions. They also help identify gaps, strengthen procedures and reinforce training so teams and supply-chain partners can act quickly during an actual food safety event.
Audits & Verification
Regular verification helps ensure food safety and quality standards are working as intended. Our audit program spans suppliers, manufacturing, distribution, warehousing and restaurants, combining our own oversight with third-party verification.
Restaurant locations are audited at least twice a year against Yum! Brands operational and food safety standards. Findings across the system are used to strengthen training, standards, processes and partnerships.
What we audit and verify
Suppliers: GFSI-benchmarked certification audits and Taco Bell food safety programs and quality standards reviews, as applicable.
Distribution and warehousing: Sanitation, temperature control, storage and handling, pest management, food protection and traceability.
Restaurants: Operational performance and critical food safety standards, with experienced auditors trained to ensure standards are applied consistently.
Corrective actions: Findings are tracked and recurring issues are evaluated for opportunities to improve systems, training and controls.
(2) People + Practices
We bring food safety standards to life through consistent restaurant practices, standardized procedures, training, leadership accountability and daily verification.
Restaurant Food Safety
Our Restaurant Food Safety team works alongside several partners, including supply chain, product development, engineering, marketing and others to review new ingredients, processes and menu innovations. This helps build food safety considerations into training, product development, operating procedures and restaurant practices from the start.
In restaurants, team members follow procedures covering personal hygiene and handwashing; food preparation, cooking, cooling, holding and storage; cross-contamination prevention; and cleaning and sanitizing. A trained team member completes a food safety checklist twice each day, and restaurant leaders maintain Certified Food Protection Manager credentials.
Additional restaurant food safety controls
Managers and food safety teams provide ongoing oversight, monitoring and verification to help ensure standards are consistently followed.
Cleaning and sanitizing chemicals used in Taco Bell restaurants are reviewed and approved by the Restaurant Food Safety team in partnership with vendors.
Yum!'s Big 6 Restaurant food safety training is organized around Yum!'s six core food safety standards:
Proper Health & Hygiene: Training covers illness policies, handwashing and sanitizing, reinforced through twice-daily food safety checks.
Temperature Management: Procedures help keep food at safe temperatures from receiving through holding.
Internal Cook Temperature: Team members heat cooked or reheated ingredients to at least 165°F.
Prevent Contamination: Cleaning and sanitizing procedures cover food-contact surfaces, equipment, utensils and high-touch areas.
Expiration Dates & Shelf Life: Ingredients and food-contact utensils are labeled and tracked to established use-by times.
Pest Prevention: Restaurants follow established prevention, monitoring and response procedures, supported by third-party experts.
Training & Team Members
Food safety education begins on a team member's first day and continues throughout employment. New team members complete Taco Bell food safety training and any Food Handler certification required by local regulations. Team members also refresh their food safety training every year, covering key requirements and the latest best practices.
When we launch a new menu item or limited-time offer, team members receive specific food safety training before it hits restaurants. Restaurant leaders track training completion, and team members can seek assistance from restaurant leadership or Taco Bell's Restaurant Food Safety team, which is available 24/7.
(3) Partnerships + Leadership
Food safety is a shared responsibility. We work with independent experts, industry organizations and peers to strengthen our own practices, challenge our thinking and contribute to a safer food system.
Industry Collaboration
Taco Bell participates in leading food safety organizations and collaborates with experts across science, public health and the supply chain to share learnings, stay connected to evolving best practices and help advance food safety across the industry.
These relationships include organizations such as the Global Food Safety Initiative, Alliance to Stop Foodborne Illness, International Association for Food Protection, International Fresh Produce Association and Center for Produce Safety. Taco Bell also works with specialized partners, including Commercial Food Sanitation, to strengthen areas such as sanitary design and operational hygiene within manufacturing environments.
Organizations and Partners we work with
Global Food Safety Initiative
Alliance to Stop Foodborne Illness
International Association for Food Protection
North American Meat Institute
U.S. Roundtable for Sustainable Beef
International Fresh Produce Association
Center for Produce Safety
Leafy Greens Safety Coalition
Commercial Food Sanitation
Produce Advisory Council
For more than 15 years, Yum! Brands and Taco Bell have led a Produce Advisory Council that brings together food scientists, academics and key stakeholders across the food system to help guide our food safety approach. The Council provides an independent, multidisciplinary perspective on emerging risks, scientific evidence, knowledge gaps and evolving food safety challenges.
The Council also pushes our thinking – helping us question assumptions, evaluate potential risks and strengthen our approach as the science evolves.
Produce Advisory Council members
Dr. Sam Myoda - IEH Laboratories
Dr. Bob Gravani - Cornell University
Dr. Martin Wiedmann - Cornell University
Dr. Trevor Suslow - UC Davis
Joe Stout - Founder, Commercial Food Sanitation
Yum! Produce Industry Meeting
Since 2010, Yum! and Taco Bell have gathered food safety professionals at our annual Yum! Produce Industry Meeting to share and discuss emerging science, learnings and best practices amongst our peers. The meeting brings together restaurant brands, retailers, suppliers and academia to openly communicate what’s working, what we’ve learned and where the industry can improve. We believe having an open forum to share food safety learnings will help strengthen practices and advance safety across the broader food system.
What the meeting covers
Emerging produce safety risks and scientific developments.
Validated learnings from investigations and corrective actions.
Preventive controls, verification practices and opportunities to strengthen food safety across the supply chain.
Cross-industry discussion among restaurant brands, retailers, suppliers and food safety professionals.
Customer Resources Questions about food safety? Explore the resources below for more information.
Ingredient information
Allergen information
Yum! Food Safety
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