Let's turn to something else: Chipotle - lots to consider

[bcla]

If they use local meat and vegetables, how are they having statewide outbreaks? Shouldn't they be localized?

Never been to Qdoba, but we prefer Chipotle to Moe's. Don't go that often, maybe once a month, max.

Define "local". I frankly never heard that they claimed to use only local ingredients, but that they made attempts to do that when practical. That would be unworkable, especially given issues with securing a supply year round in certain parts of the country. About 70% of American lettuce comes from California and 28% from Arizona, so it would be unlikely that they would be sourcing lettuce from New England in the winter. They've professed to requiring their suppliers to meet certain "integrity" standards.

http://www.thepacker.com/fruit-vegetable-news/Chipotle-expands-local-produce-sourcing-212832371.html

Heck - when they had a pork shortage because a supplier failed their checks for farming practices, they went to a UK supplier.

 

[Pea-n-Me]

If they use local meat and vegetables, how are they having statewide outbreaks? Shouldn't they be localized?

That is the question. I don't think they know what the source, or sources, are at this time.

 

[mom2rtk]

I don't eat there and am not about to start now.

 

[Pea-n-Me]

^ From the Chicago Tribune article in the OP:

"The E. coli outbreak linked to Chipotle Mexican Grill has sickened at least 52 people in nine states. And pinpointing the source of the contamination hasn't been easy. Unlike the big burger-and-fries chains that deal with a handful of beef and potato suppliers and distributors, Chipotle depends on a more complex supply chain for its 1,900 outlets that includes scores of small, independent farmers. That can lead to ingredient shortages and questions about food safety.

Now in the wake of the E. coli cases, Chipotle is tightening its supplier standards and re-evaluating its local produce program, which dates back to 2008. The pullback hits at the the heart of Chipotle's culture and marketing, which has touted its support of sustainable agriculture.

"You can never eliminate all risk, regardless of the size of suppliers, but the program we have put in place since the incident began is designed to eliminate or mitigate risk to a level near zero," Chris Arnold, a spokesman for the Denver-based company, said in an email.

Nonetheless, Chipotle has made itself vulnerable with its reliance on small suppliers, according to David Acheson, a former Food and Drug Administration official who now runs a food-safety consulting business.

"I worry about the small, local supplier who doesn't have the resources to track the latest things to do on food safety," Acheson said. "They're small operators and you simply don't have the infrastructure and the capacity to keep up with this stuff."

 

[Christine]

If they use local meat and vegetables, how are they having statewide outbreaks? Shouldn't they be localized?

Never been to Qdoba, but we prefer Chipotle to Moe's. Don't go that often, maybe once a month, max.

Our Moe's is just nasty. The food tastes awful.

 

[Christine]

Define "local". I frankly never heard that they claimed to use only local ingredients, but that they made attempts to do that when practical. That would be unworkable, especially given issues with securing a supply year round in certain parts of the country. About 70% of American lettuce comes from California and 28% from Arizona, so it would be unlikely that they would be sourcing lettuce from New England in the winter. They've professed to requiring their suppliers to meet certain "integrity" standards.

http://www.thepacker.com/fruit-vegetable-news/Chipotle-expands-local-produce-sourcing-212832371.html

Heck - when they had a pork shortage because a supplier failed their checks for farming practices, they went to a UK supplier.

Our local Chipotle outlets didn't serve pork for almost a year due to problems with finding a local supplier. However, I went to visit my son at college, which is 2 hours away from us, and they had pork which was supplied by a local farmer within an hour of his college town. Yet, that supplier could not supply just 2 hours north. So, for the pork, it must be fairly local.

 

[Hannahinwonderland]

I love Chipotle (I am recently out of college, so fit with the demographic mentioned), but it's unlikely I'll be eating there anytime soon. I have a big fear of food poisoning!

 

[bcla]

Our local Chipotle outlets didn't serve pork for almost a year due to problems with finding a local supplier. However, I went to visit my son at college, which is 2 hours away from us, and they had pork which was supplied by a local farmer within an hour of his college town. Yet, that supplier could not supply just 2 hours north. So, for the pork, it must be fairly local.

It may not have really been a "local" issue, but a supply chain issue. One third of locations discontinued pork, so it must have been a pretty large scale supplier. Chipotle has a primary supplier (Niman Ranch) for pork, and they have national distribution. They increased their shipments to Chipotle to help out. I suppose they also went to several small scale suppliers in the meantime. They ended up going to a UK supplier long term.

http://www.businessinsider.com/niman-ranch-solves-chipotles-pork-crisis-2015-1
http://www.ocregister.com/articles/pork-685011-chipotle-standards.html

I did a little digging into what was likely the issue, which was farrowing crates (which restrict the movement of sows so they don't crush the feeding piglets) and slatted floors which allow for large scale production by allowing the "stuff" to be cleaned up when it falls through. They're asking for large quantities produced with small farm techniques.

 

[3smithboys]

My DS asked if we could have it tonight, and I said no because of the health issues that have been reported. We love Chipolte, so I hope this gets solved soon!

 

[ols386]

I've never been to Chipotle, but if I had and liked the food, I wouldn't go back until they know the source and get it resolved.

 

[Bec3b1g]

I've only eaten there twice and both times the meat didn't seem like it was served warm enough. I decided not to go back prior to their E. coli and norovirus problems.

 

[anniemae]

I've only eaten there twice and both times the meat didn't seem like it was served warm enough. I decided not to go back prior to their E. coli and norovirus problems.

Yes, this! I always thought the chicken was lukewarm.

What happened in Boston Chipotle?

 

[Pooh Crew]

I used to love Chipotle, but didn't eat the often due to the calories. The last time I went (and I do mean LAST), I was chewing and thought I'd gotten a piece of fat. I took it out if my mouth and discovered it was completely raw chicken! I called the store and the manager didn't seem overly concerned, even offered to remake it for me. Ugh. No. I can't even think about Chipotle now without getting sick to my stomach. I'll never eat there again.

 

[CPanther95]

Ate there once and ate at Moe's once. Will never go to either ever again.

Same here.

Very unimpressed with either.

 

[mnrose]

I never heard of Moe's. Had to google it. Definitely not any here.

 

[Planogirl]

I feel bad for them but that is an awful lot of outbreaks in just a short period of time. I hope that they figure it out.

I will go back readily to a company that has only had one issue such as Blue Bell. Such things can unfortunately happen anywhere.

 

[kirbydog48]

FYI, the outbreak in Boston (Cleveland Circle) involving mostly students from Boston College was determined to be norovirus, not E. coli or salmonella.

 

[Pea-n-Me]

Yes, I was just coming to post an update on the 80 BC students that were sickened:

It looks as if their illnesses were caused by Norovirus, however, all EColi cultures are not back yet - they take about 48 hours to run. They apparently did have evidence in the food of the presence of norovirus, and the patterns of illness seem to fit that of noro infection. So we'll see what happens over the next few days.

http://www.foodsafetynews.com/2015/...e-illness-outbreak-is-norovirus/#.VmeNr3o8KrU

(One local reporter states that 8 of the students have been diagnosed with EColi, so there are some conflicting reports.

http://bcheights.com/sports/2015/eight-mens-basketball-players-reported-to-have-e-coli/ )

Funny a few people here mentioned the temperature of the chicken. It was noted by health officials, also.

"Boston restaurant inspectors found the Chipotle unit in question failed to keep cooked chicken used in burritos, tacos, and other offerings at a sufficiently high temperature and also discovered an employee who was working while showing signs of the illness."
Yikes.

A Chipotle executive seemed quite relieved it was "just" norovirus instead of the more serious bacteria, EColi.

"We agree with health officials that it is likely a norovirus, which seems very consistent with the pattern here," Chipotle spokesman Chris Arnold told ABC News in a statement today. "It is important to note that noroviruses are very common, in part because they are so easily transmitted (they can spread through person-to-person contact, on surface areas, or through food or drink). According to the CDC, there are approximately 20 million cases a year, making them the leading cause of gastroenteritis in the U.S."

http://abcnews.go.com/Health/80-bos...ened-eating-nearby-chipotle/story?id=35645232

Let's hope they can eliminate BOTH at their establishments.

 

[anniemae]

So if it was norovirus, does that mean an employee had it and transmitted it while cooking/serving food?

I don't think I will rush back. Last time I was there, the employee working the line (putting on the lettuce, salsa etc.) kept coughing. He was coughing into his elbow, but it still grossed me out. I tried not to think about it.

 

[mel&me]

Been there couple times, Probably be back there some day. Defiantly will be buying some of there stock. haven't decided exactly when, but soon.