Chipotle E.Coli outbreak causes scare

Photo By Lauren Roseman

The recent E.Coli outbreak has left customers looking for new dinner venues.

By Lauren Roseman, Production Editor

Hearing that there are E. coli and norovirus outbreaks at any restaurant can be scary enough.  The fact that the outbreaks are at Chipotle is even worse, considering how popular it is among CHS students.

According to WUSA 9 News, the E. coli outbreak originally infected over 52 people across the U.S.  Now, there is a reported case of E. coli from an MD Chipotle location.

“I was pretty shocked since E-coli is such a dangerous thing that you would think companies would be more careful,” junior Michael Chang said.

According to USA Today, even more recently, Chipotle restaurants in Boston have infected people with norovirus, including over 120 students from Boston College.

“I’ve definitely heard that Chipotle has had many problems like this before,” senior and Chipotle frequenter Elaina Faerber said.

According to USA Today, Chipotle does have a history with norovirus and E. coli outbreaks.  A location in California infected over 98 people with norovirus in August, and a location near Kent State infected 509 people in 2008.

According to WUSA 9 News, Chipotle does not know what ingredient is spreading the E. coli.

To help the issue, Chipotle is improving their food safety standards by testing all produce samples before they are shipped to restaurants and bettering employee food safety training.

“I think it’s horrible that they’re selling food while so many people are sick,” Faerber said.

According to CNBC, after the outbreaks, Chipotle sales have dropped 13 percent.  However, Chipotle still has CHS’s business.

“I might be a little more skeptical but it’s still a decent meal,” Chang said.