December 4, 2015 — Chipotle Mexican Grill has vowed to step up food safety after an outbreak of E. coli sickened 52 people in nine states.
The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) issued an update today to report seven more illnesses. One person who got sick on November 10 reported eating at Chipotle.
Case count by state: California (3), Illinois (1), Maryland (1), Minnesota (2), New York (1), Ohio (3), Oregon (13), Pennsylvania (1), and Washington state (27).
Investigators are still trying to determine what specific ingredient or meal at Chipotle is linked to illness. No recalls have been issued. The first illnesses were reported in mid-October. Since then, thousands of food samples have tested negative for E. coli.
In the meantime, Chipotle hired Seattle-based IEH Laboratories to study the problem and agreed to implement the company’s recommendations. The CEO of IEH Laboratories issued this statement:
“While it is never possible to completely eliminate all risk, this program eliminates or mitigates risk to a level near zero, and will establish Chipotle as the industry leader in this area.”
The new food safety program will include:
- DNA-testing to analyze produce before it gets to restaurants
- Testing produce at the end of its shelf-life to ensure quality is maintained
- Pursuing “continuous improvements” in the supply chain
- Enhancing employee training
Do I have an E. Coli Lawsuit?
The Schmidt Firm, PLLC is currently accepting Chipotle induced food poisoning cases in all 50 states. If you or somebody you know has been diagnosed with E. coli, you should contact our lawyers immediately for a free case consultation. Please use the form below to contact our Food Poisoning Litigation Group or call toll free 24 hours a day at (866) 920-0753.
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