Too often, salmonella-related outbreaks are not properly covered by the media. But when people fall ill and lawsuits are filed against negligent parties who allowed consumers to be exposed to contaminated products, sharing the reports should be a priority. After all, without the media reporting on these stories, consumers aren’t aware of what is going on. Awareness helps consumers by giving them important information on how certain companies are handling their business. If the media won’t cover these stories, companies will continue putting profit ahead of safety.
According to several reports ignored by most mainstream media, a major salmonella-related outbreak in the state of Minnesota has been traced back to tomatoes used by Chipotle restaurants since late August.
The reports show that investigators are working with local and federal authorities to find the origin of the outbreak in order to find the farm responsible for the contamination.
The first reports of outbreaks surfaced in early September. At least 64 cases of people falling ill were reported. Twenty-two Chipotle locations were linked to the outbreaks. At least nine of those who were exposed to the contaminated tomatoes were hospitalized.
People who feel ill include consumers whose age range from 10 to 69 years.
By early October, one local law firm filed four lawsuits against Chipotle Mexican Grill Inc. over the salmonella outbreaks.
In at least one of the cases, the plaintiff suffered gastrointestinal dysfunction long after he was released from hospital. According to the reports, the victim is still receiving medical treatment. The salmonella strain that impacted the plaintiff is the same found in the tomatoes used by Chipotle restaurants.
According to multiple reports, the outbreaks forced local Chipotles to change their tomato supplier. Tainted products were removed from their restaurants.
Up to now, authorities haven’t been able to determine the origin of the tomatoes linked to the outbreaks.
In the United States, Salmonella is the second most common foodborne illness. If consumers are not serious about focusing on safety and avoid food-related health issues, stay on top of recall reports and follow the manufacturer’s instructions whenever a recall is launched.
If you would like to have more information on this particular outbreak and how victims are responding, click here to read the full article.
If you’re ever exposed to a contaminated food item and you fall ill, do not let companies get away with being negligent toward their consumers. Contact the company and report the problem to the Food and Drug Administration if you require medical attention.
