The casual Mexican food restaurant chain Chipotle closed 43 of its Pacific Northwest stores due to an E. coli outbreak in several locations. According to ABC News, the bacteria was traced to six restaurants in the Northwest, but the company chose to shut down all of the ones in the area. Three customers from the Portland area and 19 customers in western Washington became ill from the effects of E. coli. At least a dozen of those who got sick were hospitalized. Chipotle released a statement on its website explaining the precautionary measures the company took.
“Even though (the) investigation affected only (10) Chipotle restaurants — and the majority of our locations in the area have reported no problems — we closed all Chipotle restaurants in these markets out of an abundance of caution,” a statement on Chipotle.com said.
Steve Ells, chairman and co-CEO of Chipotle, also said in a statement on the company’s website that customers’ health is of utmost importance.
“The safety of our customers and integrity of our food supply has always been our highest priority,” Ells said. “If there are any opportunities for us to do better in any facet of our sourcing or food handling — from the farms to our restaurants — we will find them.”
According to the site, the company has closely worked with the health department to determine the cause of the issue. Currently, Chipotle has been conducting tests at restaurants and at its distribution center. According to “USA Today,” after the testing at Chipotle restaurants and distribution centers, testing has not been able to hone in on the contaminated food product.
Senior nutrition and diabetics major Josh West said he believes Chipotle should change its policy.
“It’s as simple as checking the temperature of your beef before serving it and while it’s out on the line,” West said. “Maybe they should change their franchise policies of how the meat is prepared. It’s always a risk at places like Chipotle, but it won’t stop me from going there.”
Freshman Meghan Spencer is from Portland, Oregon and said she has always loved Chipotle’s fresh ingredients and is sad to see the company tarnished.
“I think it’s disappointing,” Spencer said. “The restaurant provided good, healthy food that was GMO free and affordable.”
Spencer said she hopes that the restaurant’s popularity is not affected and that people are not too timid to return eating there.
According to “USA Today,” the company reopened the doors of the 43 closed restaurants on Wednesday, Nov. 11, after thoroughly cleaning all of the establishments and replenishing its fresh ingredients.
