food safety

National

Chipotle's Food-Safety Woes? Don't Expect Sympathy From Rest Of Industry

9:09am February 13, 2016

by Dan Charles

Chipotle has scorned some mainstream farming practices, like GMOs and antibiotics. Now the fast-casual chain is taking hits over food safety, and past targets of its attacks are taking revenge.

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When foraging for delicious bites of snow, steer clear of plowed piles and manure, researchers say.

So You Want To Eat Snow. Is It Safe? We Asked Scientists

9:52am January 23, 2016

by Anne Bramley

As it falls, snow forms a sort of net for catching pollutants in the atmosphere. Pesticides and dirt from soil can also end up in there. Still, most researchers told us they'd eat it, with caveats.

A passerby walks past a Chipotle restaurant in Seattle in November that closed following one of two E.coli outbreaks that sickened scores of people.

National

Chipotle Faces A Criminal Investigation Into Its Handling Of A Norovirus Outbreak

2:23pm January 06, 2016

by Jim Zarroli

More than 200 employees and customers were sickened last August at a restaurant in California. A grand jury subpoena requires Chipotle to produce a range of documents in connection with the outbreak.

A sign saying "we hope to be opening soon" is pictured outside a new Chipotle Mexican Grill location at University Village in Seattle in November.

After Chipotle Outbreaks, Will 'Food With Integrity' Still Resonate?

7:04pm January 05, 2016

by Jim Zarroli

Chipotle's rise was fueled in part by its image as a healthy, ethical choice. After foodborne illnesses sickened hundreds, analysts say it won't be easy for the chain to win back customers' trust.

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Ayesha Mumtaz inspects food during a raid on a backyard sweets factory in Lahore, Pakistan. Her campaign to clean up the kitchens and food factories of Pakistan has earned her the nickname "The Fearless One."

Lahore's Food Safety Czar Declares 'War' On Unhygienic Food

7:28pm December 28, 2015

by Philip Reeves

In poorly regulated Lahore, Pakistan, Ayesha Mumtaz is a relentless enforcer of food-safety rules who strikes fear into local eatery owners. But some restaurateurs say she goes too far.

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A woman washes dishes on the street in Hanoi, Vietnam. The World Health Organization says the burden of foodborne disease in Southeast Asia is one of the highest in the world.

1 In 10 People Around The World Gets Sick From Food Every Year

4:54pm December 16, 2015

by Angus Chen

For the first time, researchers have estimated how much illness and death unsafe food causes worldwide. Their report finds the most common culprits are norovirus, Campylobacter and E. coli.

A Chipotle Mexican Grill was closed in Boston on Tuesday. According to a Boston College spokesman, 120 students have gotten sick after eating at the fast-food chain.

Health & Safety

Chipotle Faces Another Foodborne Illness Outbreak, This Time In Boston

7:58pm December 09, 2015

by Dan Charles

Outbreaks of foodborne illness are ruining the holiday spirit for Chipotle. The latest cases erupted over the past few days among students at Boston College.

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Norovirus is the most common cause of the stomach misery we call food poisoning.

When Norovirus Came To Dinner, My Family Felt The Pain

2:34pm December 09, 2015

by Emily Sohn

Was it the enchilada pie? After three members of her family became miserably ill with gastroenteritis, a woman is determined to track down the microbial culprit. But the mystery may remain unsolved.

Lettuce grows in a field in Gonzales, Calif. The Food and Drug Administration has released new food safety rules that cover farmers who grow fresh produce, as well as food importers.

National

It's Final: FDA Issues Long-Awaited Food Safety Rules

4:42pm November 13, 2015

by Dan Charles

The Food and Drug Administration's regulations contain some compromises and cover farmers who grow fresh produce, as well as importers. The agency has been working on the rules for five years.

National

Amid E. Coli Outbreak, Chipotle Closes 43 Restaurants In Washington, Oregon

2:23pm November 02, 2015

by Eyder Peralta

At least 22 people have been infected with E. coli, some of whom reported eating at Chipotle restaurants in the two states. This is the chain's third food-contamination outbreak since August.