It’s been about three months since Chipotle first closed 43 stores in the Northwest due to an E. Coli outbreak. Since then: chaos. Closings all over the country, public apologies, nationwide food safety meetings, and attempted goodwill gestures involving free food to make people forget — or at least forgive — all that stuff about their food making people violently ill. Bad, bad times, both for the company and fans of delicious, disease-free burritos. (The best kind!)
Luckily, finally, there’s some good news to report: The U.S. government says it’s safe to eat at Chipotle again.
BREAKING: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says E. coli outbreak at Chipotle restaurants appears to be over.
— The Associated Press (@AP) February 1, 2016
We did it! We beat E. Coli! Or should I say Escherichia coli?! Don’t sound so tough when someone uses your full name, do you, Escherichia? Didn’t think so!
As far as what exactly happened here and why, well…
Investigations of two separate outbreaks of Shiga toxin-producing E. coli 026 have been wrapped up, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said.
The infections stemmed from a common meal item or ingredient; however the CDC and investigators from other public health organizations were unable to pinpoint the specific cause.
“We’re not sure what the specific cause was, but everything looks okay now, we guess?”
Ummmm… good enough for me! Burritos for everyone!
(Via Denver Post)