Chipotle Is Still Serving Burritos Laced With New Secret Ingredient: E. Coli
The country’s favorite burrito chain is at it yet again — serving their signature carnitas with a side of diarrhea.
Chipotle’s E. coli outbreak has spread to six states, according to federal officials, after it started out earlier this month in just two states. More than 40 people have fallen ill, according to Reuters.
The outbreak began with a few dozen cases in Oregon and Washington, after which the company shuttered several stores. Now, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Chipotle restaurants in California, Ohio, New York and Minnesota are in on the game, though the company has no plans to close them.
What’s more, the outbreak, referred to as E. coli O26 outbreak strain, is pretty much confined to Chipotle’s food. A total of 45 people have gotten sick from the strain — 43 of those people had recently eaten a tasty, non-GMO, sustainably sourced (sometimes), E. coli-laced burrito from Chipotle.
In a statement, Steve Ells, chairman and co-CEO of Chipotle, offered his “sincerest apologies to those who have been affected,”and said the the company is changing food preparation procedures, testing ingredients and conducting deep cleanings at restaurants linked to the outbreak.
Still, the outbreak hasn’t been traced to a particular source. Seattle attorney Bill Marler, who is representing nearly three dozen people affected by the outbreak, told Reuters that he’s on the hunt for “a common supplier with a common food item.”
Meanwhile, Chipotle’s stock is tanking. Shares fell 12.3 percent to $536.19 on Friday, marking an 18-month low for the chain. I guess that’s what happens when you serve potentially life-threatening food to your customers.
