Chipotle

  • South Park strikes out at Chipotle - and dead celebrities

    Posted: October 8th, 2009 - 12:38am by Doug Powell

    The season premier of South Park took a shot at those dead celebrities that just won’t go away – Hi! Billy Mays here … -- , and a lovely sub-plot aimed at the sanctimonious Chipotle, and how their food makes your ass bleed.

    Maybe Trey Parker and Matt Stone have been reading up on E. coli O157:H7 symptoms.

    You love to eat Chipotle, but you hate those blood stains in your underwear?

    Now you can eat all the Chipotle you want, and still have clean underwear with ChipotliAway.

    Stan: Why would you keep eating something that made you crap blood?

    Cartman: Dude have you ever eaten     Chipotle, it’s really good.

    I love that the adopted Canadian kid, Ike, and all the other Canadians, have flapping heads (who can forget, Blame Canada, from the movie?). And bring on more Terrance and Phillip. Video which may offend, below.
     

     

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    E. coli  |  1 Comment
    Chipotle, Grass-fed, Let It Bleed, South Park
  • Chipotle buys local - but is it safe?

    Posted: May 21st, 2009 - 6:39am by Doug Powell

    At what point did the language of sustainability get co-opted by organo-local business types?

    I ride my bike around town (which is a health hazard in Manhattan), we had a fabulous salad of greens grown in our own garden last night for dinner along with the tuna steak (which wasn’t grown in Kansas), yet when I speak at a local panel or read something, it’s all these folks falling over themselves to be declared green.

    Chipotle Mexican Grill will expand its local produce program this summer, purchasing at least 35 percent of at least one bulk produce item in all of its restaurants from local farmers when it is seasonally available. This represents a 10 percent increase over last year's program, the first of its kind for any national restaurant chain.

    "Our commitment to cooking and preparing food with more sustainable ingredients has always been about doing the right thing; the right thing for better tasting food, the right thing for the environment, and the right thing for farmers," says Steve Ells, founder, chairman, and co-CEO of Chipotle.

    As a lowly consumer, I can only hope that Chipotle holds its local suppliers to some sort of microbiological standards for food safety – maybe they cook the poop out of everything.

    I don’t want to hear about how sustainable it is – unless Chipotle or anyone else is going to provide data on water use, greenhouse gas emissions, and microbiological loads on local produce versus the produce provided by the big ‘ole big guys. Do farmers get pissed that anyone thinks they can grow food to feed a bunch of people? Or do they just smirk, bemused?

    Once again, Chipotle is the douchebag of fast food.

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    Food Safety Policy  |  2 Comments
    Chipotle, Douche, Local, Produce
  • Technology in the classroom - anything goes

    Posted: March 6th, 2009 - 3:02pm by Doug Powell

    Every year I provide an intro food safety culture/stuff lecture to the veterinary students at Kansas State University. Always a good time in Pat Payne’s class, and the students have usually worked in food service and have stories to tell. This morning, the students even applauded when I trashed Chipotle for advertizing about the hypothetical risks associated with hormones rather than the things that make people barf – E. coli, salmonella, hepatitis A and norovirus.

    The students all have computers, wireless access, cell phones, blackberries – there is no way to BS anyone; they are checking in real time.

    I put up the slide below that Ben made a few weeks ago, to illustrate where food safety ranks in overall food culture concerns, and a student came up to me after class and said,

    “I called the number. They don’t have anything about Phelps anymore. Your slide is out of date.”

    Well played, sir.

    At least they seemed to get a kick out of my line,

    “Subway didn’t drop Phelps cause they know a lot of stoners eat subs.”

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    Food Safety Policy  |  4 Comments
    Aquaculture, Chipotle, Food Safety Culture, Kellogg's, Michael Phelps, Stoner, Subway
  • Chipotle misses the microbiological mark - again

    Posted: July 2nd, 2008 - 8:03pm by Doug Powell

    Chipotle Mexican Grill Inc., famous for telling consumers what isn’t in its foods – antibiotics, hormones – and has had a couple of recent unpleasantries associated with their food – norovirus and hepatitis A – announced it will start buying locally raised produce for its restaurants this summer.

    Under the plan, 25 percent of at least one of its produce items, including romaine lettuce, green bell and jalapeño peppers and red onions, for each of its 730-plus restaurants, will be sourced from small and mid-sized local farms.

    I’m all for local food, as long as someone is checking to ensure the microbiological safety of fresh produce. Local does not automatically mean safe.
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    Food Safety Policy  |  3 Comments
    Chipotle, Produce
  • Chipotle hep A climbs to 14

    Posted: April 27th, 2008 - 10:00am by Ben Chapman

    NBCSandiego reported yesterday that the cases of Hep A linked to a La Mesa Chipotle has reached 14.  The story says that most concern is over anyone who dined at the restaurant located at 8005 Fletcher Parkway between March 1 and April 22. Officials were cited as saying blood samples taken so far from restaurant employees have not shown any recent Hepatitis A infections.

    With 14 cases and so far no employee testing for any signs of Hep A, I wonder if this outbreak is linked to a common food vehicle from a supplier, or one mixed/prepared in store.    Wonder if there has been a spike in what is thought to be sporadic Hep A cases associated with other outlets suppliers sent product to.

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    Chipotle, Outbreak
  • Hepatitis A illnesses linked to San Diego Chipotle now at 12

    Posted: April 24th, 2008 - 9:53pm by Doug Powell

    The San Diego County Health and Human Services Agency (HHSA) reports six additional cases of Hepatitis A linked to possible exposure at a Chipotle restaurant in La Mesa, bringing the total number of cases to 12.

    The County recommends that individuals who dined at the restaurant between March 1 and April 22, 2008 -- and are symptomatic for Hepatitis A -- see their physician to be screened for the illness.

    Wilma Wooten, M.D., M.P.H., County of San Diego Public Health Officer, said,

    “Hepatitis A is a vaccine-preventable illness. The key to prevention also includes appropriate and frequent hand-washing."

    Monty Moran, president and chief operating officer of Chipotle, said,


    “We continue to partner with the County of San Diego as they investigate the cause of this illness. Employees tested to date have been negative for Hepatitis A. Our restaurant has received ‘A’ ratings in all five inspections in the last five months.”

    Keep poop out of food. Wash your damn hands.


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    Hepatitis A  |  2 Comments
    Chipotle, San Diego
  • San Diego Chipotle linked to hepatitis A outbreak

    Posted: April 23rd, 2008 - 4:21pm by Doug Powell

    The San Diego Health and Human Services Agency and County Department of Environmental Health are investigating six cases of hepatitis A linked to a La Mesa Chipotle restaurant. …

    Hepatitis A is a result of poor hygiene. Health officials say that victims are exposed when an individual consumes water or food contaminated with the stool of someone with the virus.

    These hepatitis A cases are a weekly occurrence in the U.S. A food worker parties in Mexico or the Dominican or Honduras, where hepatitis A is endemic. Food worker comes home, is fine for two weeks, then spends the next two weeks crapping out virus. And unless food worker  is really diligent about handwashing, she's spreading virus-containing poop on food -- especially fresh produce or salads. After four weeks, food worker turns yellow and goes to the doctor where a diagnosis is made. Then the clinics start. In this case, a food worker has not been identified as the source -- yet.

    Get vaccinated for hepatitis A. And dude, wash your damn hands.
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    Hepatitis A  |  0 Comments
    Chipotle, San Diego
  • Chipotle norovirus outbreak - New infosheet

    Posted: April 23rd, 2008 - 11:04am by Ben Chapman

    Katie Byard at Ohio.com reports this morning that the number of potential norovirus cases linked to a Kent, Ohio Chipotle has grown to 435.  The story also says that Chipotle has established a claims process to reimburse the related medical expenses of those who became ill (good move on their part).
    The outbreak also inspired our infosheet this week.  We hope that the infosheet generates discussion amongst food handlers about norovirus outbreaks and what can be done to reduce the risk.

    Click here to download the infosheet.
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    Food Safety Policy, Norovirus  |  0 Comments
    Chipotle
  • All natural norovirus at Chipotle in Ohio

    Posted: April 21st, 2008 - 11:36pm by Doug Powell

    The Chipotle restaurant across from Kent State University in Ohio appears to be the source of hundreds of norovirus illnesses this weekend.

    One report cited Kent health officials as saying that 432 people had reported norovirus symptoms as of Monday afternoon.

    Victims began showing up at local hospitals Thursday evening and the restaurant closed Friday.

    Many of those who got ill were Kent State University students. The restaurant is directly across from the campus, and students who took part in a recent American Red Cross blood drive received a coupon for free food at Chipotle.

    Kent Health Commissioner John Ferlito said Saturday the health department and the Denver-based restaurant chain agreed to switch employees out of concern that the outbreak might be caused by a sick employee. Several of the restaurant's employees had been ill, but they also had eaten the restaurant's food.

    Chipotle spokesman Chris Arnold said in a statement Saturday,

    "Local health department officials have found no violations in inspections of our Kent State restaurant conducted after this incident was first reported, and again in an inspection this morning. We have reopened our restaurant with their full support. We have taken preventative steps that meet or exceed health department requirements, and will continue to assist them in their investigation."

    If someone wants to check out Kent State University and Chipotle on Facebook, I bet there's lots of stories to hear.

    Antibiotics? How about norovirus?

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    Norovirus  |  2 Comments
    Antibiotics, Chipotle