The CDC Can’t Figure Out What Caused Chipotle’s E. Coli Outbreaks

The CDC, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service, and public health officials in several states investigated two separate outbreaks of Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli O26 (STEC O26) infections. Twenty-one were hospitalised. The second outbreak was smaller, infecting five people and resulting in one hospitalisation. State and federal regulators who reviewed the company’s distribution records couldn’t identify a single item to explain the outbreak – and neither did testing food from multiple restaurants.

Chipotle said last month it was confident that the steps it had undertaken to tighten food safety will stop future food poisoning outbreaks.

The bad news? The CDC still doesn’t know what caused it. Citing unnamed sources, the Journal said investigators haven’t been able to determine the ingredient responsible for the contamination.

The company’s latest guidance for same-store sales calls for a 14.6% dent in the fourth quarter, after initially guiding a dip in the range of 8% to 11%. The last case of illness linked to Chipotle was reported more than two months ago. BMO Capital Markets reissued an “outperform” rating on shares of Chipotle Mexican Grill in a report on Monday, November 16th.

Almost 300 people reported being sickened after eating at the Chipotle outlet.

Eden Gillott Bowe, president of Santa Monica, Calif.-based crisis management firm Gillott Communications LLC, said that even though the E. coli outbreaks likely are over, Chipotle still has its work cut out for it. “Consumers care about only one thing: Will this happen again?”

The CDC announced on Monday that Chipotle Mexican Grill’s E. coli outbreak is over.

YouGov Brand Index said customer perceptions about Chipotle sank to their lowest level since it began tracking the company in 2007. Teens and young adults, however, increased their visits to the fast-casual chain by double-digits previous year, according to NPD.

Still, when it comes to “not-so-loyal and former Chipotle customers”, the chain has a long road ahead, Riggs said.

All Chipotle restaurants across the country will close for part of the day this month when its employees will attend a national team meeting to discuss food-safety changes.

Chipotle is back on the menu, burrito lovers.