Chipotle Experiences Another Foodborne Illness Outbreak

In late July, nearly 650 customers were sickened after eating at an Ohio location.

August 20, 2018

POWELL, Ohio – Chipotle Mexican Grill can’t catch a break from foodborne illness outbreaks. The chain confirmed last week that clostridium perfringens, a common bacteria that causes food poisoning, was the culprit in an incident that sickened 647 customers who ate at a single Ohio unit in late July, CNBC reports.

The incident happened as Chipotle has begun to revamp its image after an E. coli outbreak occurred in 2015. The chain’s attempts to reinvigorate the brand appeared to be working, as it focused on a new menu, as well as online and mobile orders.

But with the July outbreak, CEO Brian Niccol announced yet another round of food-safety and wellness training for all employees this week.

This year’s National Food Safety Month focuses on creating a culture of food safety. NACS offers convenience store retailers the following to help mitigate a foodborne illness outbreak:

  • At the upcoming NACS Show in Las Vegas, the “Avoiding a ‘Chipotle’ Headline” education session on Monday, October 8, from 8:00 to 9:00 am (register today www.nacsshow.com) will help attendees apply best management practices in sourcing, preparation and delivery; train employees to deliver the highest quality and safest food to customers; and review regulatory requirements to keep food products safe.
  • NACS partners with Ready Training Online (RTO) to offer members a robust and flexible suite of online learning options for the convenience and fuel retailing industry. E-learning modules specific to foodservice include the donut case, roller grills, food safety and sanitation, and cleaning the beverage fountain. RTO also offers SURE™ Certified Food Safety Training for Managers. View more at www.convenience.org/elearning.
  • NACS offers a 10-course, online training series that can earn a Certified Convenience Foodservice Management (CCFM) designation for the student. Topics range from foodservice system basics and human resources to equipment cleaning, merchandising and more. Details are at www.convenience.org/certifiedfoodservice.
  • Read the December 2017 NACS Magazine feature, “In It Together,” to learn more about food safety and how everyone needs to work together to protect consumers from a foodborne illness.

To help you avoid a Chipotle headline about your stores, attend the aptly named NACS Show session, “Avoiding a Chipotle Headline,” at this yeara’s NACS Show.  Register today at www.nacsshow.com

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