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Subscribe to RSSOklahoma health officials say that Taco Bell restaurants were the source of salmonella food poisoning linked to an outbreak that sickened 68 people in 10 states last fall.
Federal officials who have withheld the identity of the Mexican-style fast-food restaurant chain tied to the outbreak said they have not changed their position.
"Our response remains the same," said Lola Russell, a spokeswoman for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Dr. Kristy Bradley, the state's epidemiologist, had staff forward documents that confirmed that of the 16 Oklahoma residents infected with the outbreak strain of the bacteria, eight consumed food from Taco Bell. That included eight of 12 who were able to be interviewed in connection with the outbreak.
CDC officials have masked the source, identified only as "Restaurant Chain A," in accordance with what the agency said is a longstanding policy that balances public health risk with the business concerns of firms that could be harmed by bad publicity.
Oklahoma released the documents in response to requests from msnbc.com and others, said Leslea Bennet-Webb, a spokeswoman for the state health department. The agency originally deferred to CDC, and asked the agency if the documents should be protected from public disclosure. When CDC did not respond by a Tuesday deadline, the state agreed to release the information.
But food safety advocates had been putting pressure on state and federal agencies to reveal the name of firms involved in outbreaks in this case -- and those in the future.
"I think it just proves the point that it is always better to be transparent," said Bill Marler, a Seattle food safety lawyer who used his blog to lobby vigorously for the release of the name. "Taco Bell could have looked like a hero by coming out and saying that it was a supplier problem and they are going to work hard to make sure it never happens again."
Rob Poetsch, a spokesman with Taco Bell Corp. a subsidary of Yum! Brands Inc., issued a statement late Wednesday, after msnbc.com reported that the company's name had been released:
"The CDC has stated the public health is not at any risk and this incident is completely over," he wrote. "They have not identified the food source of the food borneillness that occurred in October and November of 2011. The CDC indicated that some of the people who were ill ate at Taco Bell, while others did not. They believe that the problem likely occurred at the supplier level before it was delivered to any restaurant or food outlet. We take food quality and safety very seriously."
This is the third outbreak involving the restaurant chain since 2006. That year, contaminated lettuce was tied to an outbreak of E. coli 0157:H7. In 2010, Taco Bell was eventually revealed as the source of two outbreaks of rare strains of salmonella that sickened 155 people in 21 states.
The hunt for the name followed an outbreak of salmonella Enteritidis investigated by the CDC, the Food and Drug Administration and health officials in 10 states.
The wide-ranging probe found infections in far-flung states, but identified no specific food item or ingredient responsible for the illnesses, likely because several ingredients were mixed together in many menu items, officials said.
However, officials noted that ground beef was an unlikely source of infection because of the safe handling practices used by Taco Bell.
Ultimately, officials concluded that contamination likely occurred before food products reached Taco Bell locations, the report said.
CDC officials confirmed 16 victims in Oklahoma and more in nine other states, including 43 in Texas, two in Kansas and one each in Iowa, Michigan, Missouri, Nebraska, New Mexico, Ohio and Tennessee.
Dr. Robert Tauxe, the CDC's director of the Division of Foodborne, Waterborne and Environmental Diseases, said that the agency has long tried to weigh the public health risk of an outbreak with the concerns of the business involved. That ensures future cooperation under a voluntary system, he said.
"If there's not an important public health reason to use the name publicly, CDC doesn't use the name publicly," he said.
This is the second time a state has broken ranks with CDC and FDA officials to name Taco Bell as the source of an outbreak. In 2010, Oregon epidemiologist Dr. William Keene told media outlets that the source was Taco Bell. CDC officials said the information was released "in error," but Keene told msnbc.com it was deliberate, indeed.
"It was a normal release of what we considered public information," Keene said. "There was no compelling reason to keep it secret then."
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To disclose Taco Bell's name to the public would violate Taco Bell's civil and human rights. Corporations are people, my friends.
So are corporations counted in the census? ;) What is Goldman-Sachs favorite found? Does Motorola want to hang out sometime? Can someone tell Monsanto I think she is hot?
I think the article stated that Taco Bell was the restaurant that served tainted food products that came from some other entity. Looks to me this could happen to any restaurant that rely so heavily on local products, such a vegetables.
I am not a Taco Bell supporter. I rarely eat at Taco Bell - but I see the impact to the restaurant when they serve others products that do not come precooked. It is a challenge to everyone that eats at a restaurant.
oops - food not found
I think you need to look at whether the outbreak was caused by the restaurant chain or due to one of their suppliers. Should a restaurant chain have it's reputation damaged because one of their supplier provided them with contaminated product??? If it is poor food handling procedures at the restaurant chain that caused the outbreak, I say identify them. If they have essentially been victimized by a supplier, it is the supplier that should be identified, not the restaurant chain. The chain may very well have dropped that supplier to address the cause, so why scare people away from the restaurant. In the end, it is the company responsible that deserves to take the heat, not others who have inadvertently been involved through no improper actions of their own.
It's funny that they didn't want to call out Taco Bell, but every few days the FDA is crying about something that Johnson & Johnson has done. Why is food tainted with salmonella any different than funny smelling Tylenol???
My question is how can you tell if you got salmonella food poisoning from Taco Bell... the symptoms of eating the food are exactly the same as the diagnosis of the disease.
Crap Vlad, I had those symptoms the day I got married...??
Yes, BUT...wasn't there another outbreak in '10, that sickened 150 people in 21 states, that Taco Bell got linked to? Fool me once, shame on you, fool me twice....
Old Taco Bell slogan: "Make a run for the border..."
New Taco Bell slogan: "Get the runs at the border..."
i dont get it, there was such a thing as a time when you didn't get the runs from eating taco bell?
I thought my post taco bell diarrhea felt extra explosive...now I know why
I would imagine that Taco Hell, just like M(akeusick)cDonalds, uses that pink slime to "clean" the inedible parts of beef and chicken to make them edible for human consumption. I haven't eaten at a Taco Hell in some 9 years now, as the last couple of times I did, I got very sick to my stomach, and released what can only be described as the Hershey Squirts.....
Uh, I used to work at a Taco Bell, and the meat DID come precooked. I don't know if things have changed in the last 10 years in that regard, but it sounds to me like they do have some culpability if one of their cooks didn't do the reheating process right. If it's on something else, like the tomatoes or lettuce, then everyone should just stop buying produce from stores IMMEDIATELY, and grow their own, to force these lazy growers to do the job right for once.
@JS in SD, sorry, but I don't by that for a minute. Just skimming over this article would have told you that this is the 3rd time since 2006 that Taco Smell has had this occur. And also, as the article stated, TB could have, on their own, come out and said that they believe some of their food shipments were tainted. Instead, they decided to hide and hope nobody was the wiser about it. It should be disclosed who their suppliers are for each individual ingredient, such as lettuce, tomatoes, meat, etc at every restaurant, just as all of the nutritional ingredients supposedly are. TB served the food, and the public has ABSOLUTELY EVERY RIGHT TO KNOW ABOUT IT. On a personal note, I made my mind up almost ten years ago, to never even step foot in TB ever again and I have kept that promise to myself.
I'm not attracted to Monsantos..
I like Wometcos..
I won't dispute that Taco Bell's "food" is complete garbage, but back in my highschool years I used to eat that crap all the time and it rarely gave me the runs. What the hell were you guys eating from there?
I worked at a Taco Bell for a while years ago, that was a job I'll never go back to! Most of the crew was
hispanic and they NEVER washed their hands all day long!! Some would go to the restroom with their
aprons on and come back picking their nose and scratching their ass and handle food! I've complained
only to be harrassed by other crew members. For all I have experienced, DON'T EAT THERE OR BE
SICK !!
They use the red slime in their hamburger so I quit eating there long ago.
You can get food poisoning from people not washing their hands properly. You transfer the virus or biologic form source to source to product source to product every time.
That is why we are told countless time to wash your hands, clean your surface are when changing different meat products, such as beef to chicken to fish, wash the surface every time you are going to use a different product to prepping process.
Anyone ignoring the steps can get a few sick to a million.That is what the CDC is so worried about is a pandemic, and you all should be concerned when it comes to the fast food, and restaurant's.
It only takes 1 person to spread a outbreak, and it then spreads like wild fire.
Catsclaw81 - I don't know where you worked but if the meat was precooked it wasn't Taco Bell LOL. I worked at Taco Bell for years at first as an hourly employee and later as an assistant manager and nothing was precooked and everything was top quality - Wisconsin brand cheese, fresh lean beef etc. We even pressure cooked the pinto beans on site to make refried beans and we used a giant paint mixer with a drill to reduce them to the right consistency. Everything was rotated and dated and fresh. I ate it every day and loved it and still do. It's all fresh meat and beans and vegetables. At least as healthy as a typical handburger anyway and better tasting in my opinion.
I got a sandwich at a Subway recently. The same guy that put the meat and the cheese on the sandwich also did the vegetables, he did not change his gloves. More than likely, there was very little transfer of meat or cheese residue onto the veggies but I would expect protocol to require a glove change. I use the gloves when I cook, so as to not get germs on the food that I handle. I refrigerate or freeze large quantities of food as I make my own prepared, microwavable, fast food. I am a fanatic when it comes to protecting my food from contamination and I can't even remember getting sick, but I probably have at least a few times. I freeze individual portions in sandwich bags, which I then put in large freezer bags; works quite well. I often use ice to speed the cooling. I only put a limited amount in the freezer initially, with the rest going in the fridge. The next day, the rest of what I want to freeze transfers to the freezer. I bag the food as hot as possible, below the temperature that it will melt the bag, and cool it after the air is forced out and the bag sealed. By proper trimming, I have reduced my cholesterol significantly through diet and being intolerant of statins, that is a necessity as I have coronary artery disease. Authentic, homemade tacos need to be prepared fresh, with perhaps leftovers used the next day. But enchiladas freeze and reheat well. I make the chicken variety and do two pans with maybe 50 or 60 at a time. I need a small chest freezer so I can have a greater variety. Refried beans are easy too.
Softdude......after all of that you heat your food in the microwave? Dude, microwaves kill all the nutrients.
http://www.organicconsumers.org/articles/article_6463.cfm
You can take my Taco Bell taco when you pry it from my bloody, diarrhea stained hand!
The last time I ate at a Taco Bell, I became violently ill. When I saw my dr. for a follow-up appointment, I discovered that the nurse ate the same thing on the same night and she became sick. I called Taco Bell and they offered free coupons. What I really would have liked was for them to pay my medical bill.
These are some of the same states that do not want any regulation for their businesses, if it were left up to some of these folks we'd still have lead-lined cans sealed with wax. A friend of mine almost died last year from fast food. She ate a new sandwich idea that some smart business man or woman concocted and was in the hospital for some time. They seem to be on it at the CDC .Kudos to them for their hard work.
@ Mitt Twitt "hear, hear"
As always, PROFITS before people.
If only we had a government that protected the people from big business and wasn't in bed with them.
Oh wait, "This is the second time a state has broken ranks with CDC and FDA officials to out Taco Bell as the source of an outbreak." Wow! It took COURAGE to do that. Think Taco Bell owned by Pepsi will donate to politicians that will get these regulators fired?
Taco Bell isn't owned by Pepsi any longer. It's owned by Yum
@ mj
I did not know that. Thank you! So I looked up YUM. Looks like a Chinese company...oh dear god.
Includes Pizza Hut and KFC... I stopped eating "fast food" 10 years ago but I will never eat these brands again, even if I'm starving.
I trust Chinese companies about as far as I can throw the toxic lead in the products or the chemicals, of the dry wall or... the CAT they sell as chicken.
@Lord Foxdrake, it's not CAT they sell as Chicken, it is Pigeon, YUM!!!!!! And of course, we all know that the so called "Beef", is actually, Chihuahua, once again, YUM!!!!!!
Yum owns Taco Bell, but Taco Bell doesn't own any Yum.
Many Taco Bells' are franchises so same owners not resposible for all stores. The TAco Bell my daughter has worked for the last 2 years takes food safety very seriously. You don't touch any food without gloves on, to do so is cause for disciplinary action including termination. She has several pages worth of knowledge she had to learn as she moved into management. This includes food weights, temperatures on the line and in fridge. Food has to be cooled or heated to correct temp. Foods like lettuce, tomato etc.. are even kept at a certain temp or are thrown away. She has to record data on every shift she leads regarding food safety. She also has to account for safety to her manger and the area coaches at certaain times and can be spot checked with no notice. FAilure on her part can result in disciplinary action including termination. It's fast food, its' not perfect. Food in our own homes aren't perfect either. It behooves us all to pay attention to our food regardless of where we get it from. I do believe all food service operations should be transparent when food safety issues occurr.
Yum foods is a spin off from pepsico .
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yum!_Brands
Now the question is.....If the same supply truck supplies KFC, Pizza Hut, Taco Bell & others. What different ingredient , independent of the other restaurants , caused the illness.
I highly doubt the tomato supplier for one is different than the other. My guess....the beans?? Burger, steak & chicken you can get on a pizza. KFC uses lettuce same as the others.
People have the RIGHT TO KNOW if their food is safe, so they may make a informed choice to eat there of not to eat there.
Taco bell does NOT have the right to sell bad TACOS that make people sick
Ah, but AKRandy, they have been serving up bad tacos since the late 1980's. But, you are absolutely correct, they should not be able to "hide" behind the CDC, because it may cost them business. To me, that would be the exact same thing as a car maker selling dangerous cars and the NHTSA knowing about it, but not disclosing it, because it may result in fewer sales. It is Disgusting at the very least, and yes, I'm talking both about the food and the excuses they use. I don't eat there personally, but if they know that they can hide behind a govt entity that is supposed to look out for us peon citizens, they are not going to take the extra caution to keep the food safe versus making huge profits. Does anyone seriously think that the top corporate whores give a sh!t about us little people, you know, the people who buy all of their stuff? How many times in the past 10 years, has a company been driven into the ground, only to see the CEO walk away with $90 million dollars. Okay, now that I vented, I am going to go out and celebrate by going to taco bell and get a .....hahaha, no freaking way, t'ain't gonna happen.....
My 10 yr old got salmonella from a TN Taco Bell this fall. I appreciate OK for releasing the information and confirming what we strongly suspected.
Regarding the posts saying "How do you know he (or someone) was actually salmonella poisoned - my son tested positive after a stool (ick) and blood test. The peditricians office called the State Health Office - who then called me twice. They asked a lot of questions about the situation and we were positive it was at a Taco Bell in TN (internet research about timeline matched up)."
Your kid must have ordered one of their Stoolito Supremes!
From personal experience all the way back to a stint at Taco Bell in 1981 and at various California fast-food outlets off-and-on over the years......
Be aware of the MANY not quite legal "immigrants" who are used to "old country" beliefs regarding sanitation and are not amenable to training to minimize bacteria and parasite transmission.
Included is the bringing into the USA once unknown or rare strains of disease-producing ailments.
Beware the dreaded tuberculosis that is resistan to modern medications, requiring a year to treat IF is is treatable.
Perform some basic Web research and face reality; a reality the USA mass media, the politically crowd and others refuse to confront or reveal.
I have learned to minimize patronage of food sources outside my own hovel from fear of reality regarding disease transmission in too many food sources.
As the general knowledge of a clear and present danger to the USA populace escalates I wonder if corporate USA earning wealth via foodstuffs of all types will assist in curtailing the mega-million person presence of those disseminating various diseases.... or is the safety and live of We, the People merely collateral damage and a cost of doing business?
buddy you are just a racist idiot... I can guarantee you that its more than just barely legal immigrants who are at fault...
Its not exactly like Taco Bell hires the best and brightest...
Its going to be criminals and potheads, and mostly other kinds of losers like people who cant go to college, or barely graduated highschool, or didnt even graduate at all.
I mean seriously, take a look at yourself and think for a moment before making stupid comments like a moron would.
You are pretty funny Eddie. Perhaps you should take a look at your own bigotry,eh?
lol mj, i was just adding on... I know it could be even more than that... for another example.. alot of kids work at fast food restaurants.
Another thing is that it really could be the supplier rather than taco bell...
although I still think taco bell should be publicized anyways because they allow those suppliers to supply them.
Oh man..
Why, oh why do I bother to have hope for this country when there are SO many people like (you know who) here?
It's up to the managers at TAco bell to insure that their employees are always following safety procedure as you will have people working who don't get or care about safety standards. It's probably a good idea to only go to stores near you that you can spend a few minutes observing the way the store is taken care of, (tables, bathrooms, counters, floors etc..) and the way the employees look. Ex: observe if gloves are on the hands of the people preparing and handling your food. Is their hair pulled back and up, uniform fairly clean, is the person serving you well groomed and appear hygienic? If your not happy with your observation, leave immeadiately!! The same for every fast food and sit down resturant. an expensive eatery with silver and linens might be dirtier than your local TB or Mickey D's. There are sources to check on the score resturants get when they are inspected. Be informed and you may still get sick but will reduce the chances of it.
So its ok NOT to reveal when there is a dangerous gunman roaming in a grade school too?
Urban - Probably a little ridiculous statement? The statement should be - eat at any place where you do not fix the food yourself - at your own risk?
my statement was meant to be ridiculous...but still, how are we supposed to avoid danger if our own govt wont reveal the source? and YES..food poisoning IS dangerous! what else arent they telling us?
...I ate their Saturday after my SATs. Well then.
I am mystified, how mean of you xSadistsFujix to have eaten their Saturday, a whole day down the gullet. I bet you were really full afterwards too, huh?
Or perhaps, you ate "there" Saturday...... just saying, Well then.....
During these outbreaks I noticed that a key ingredient was always missing from my favorite item the "Meximelt".
It is what they call "Fiesta Salsa" which has primary ingredients of Cilantro and Tomato's.
I was told by management several time that they were "out" and didn't know when they could re-stock.
What a coincidence.
People actually eat at Taco Bell??
No sh!t ...
o dano you are so wrong, there definately is...
...and a LOT of it, apparently...
Get out of town! Taco Bell? I'm shocked and awed!
To a point I can understand why they didn't release the name. After all they have determined that it wasn't Taco Bell that caused the contamination thus the illness - it happened to the food (probably lettuce or tomatoes would be my guess - something that isn't cooked) before it got to them. BUT the public does have the right to know - just be clear in the reports that the resturant didn't do anything wrong.
Once upon a time long, long ago when I was starving, I worked for Pepsi as a vend technician.
I had the chance to go into the "back" of many restaurant both mom and pop and chain stores.
Do yourself a favor, NEVER eat at a Chinese styled restaurant that has not been in business for more than two years.
Mexican food gigs are just as bad.
NASTY things happen in some of those places.
Oh, and nasty things can happen in the drink industry as well.
The next time you get ready to pour that fountain drink from the spigot, reach up and gently twist off the nozzle (it will go right back on),
And take a look at what is growing there that your drink has to pass through.
Same thing with your own household faucets.
There is a difusser in the end of the spigot that grows all kinds of great science projects.
When you notice that your water is not flowing quite like it used to, scratch the difuser screen with your fingernail and see what you have grown in your own home.
Oh the stories I could tell about working at McDonalds!
I really don't wanna know.. I love a Big Mac... I did question the sauce sometimes ???
thats why i only drink canned or bottled soda , the fountain stuff taste like crap or like the cup that it goes in ,it also gives you the squirts just like the soda fountain but on the bowl
My first job was in a swanky hotel (you would all know the name), and they had an affiliate major swanky restaurant attached, where we would get our meals from. That place would have the floors hosed down and wet with all the garbage on it.. etc... to keep it constantly clean. I saw the cook miss the counter when he was mixing the giant 20lb prep of hamburger and it went splat right on the floor in this water and garbage muck. He just picked it back up and continued... he couldn't throw it out and mark it as a loss, well, he could have, but they won't. It happens everywhere.
If you want good food and clean food, make it it pure and raw and cook it yourself at home.
I worked at a "classy" American food restaurant. The owner used to pick up rolls that were dropped on the floor and put them back in the breadbasket. In fact, most restaurants have issues. I remind you that Taco Bell is not a Mexican establishment.
Don't start with that ignorant, racist and xenophobic nonsense.
Eat at Taco Bell if you like to eat and run.
I agree it can happen anywhere. My ex-brother-in-law worked at a pricey upscale local restaurant. After I saw what the kitchen looked like, you couldn't pay me enough to eat there. Not enough counter space? Just set it on the floor. And the filth - ugh! The public has a right to know about these problems. Stop protecting Big Business! (At another place, my bro-in-law took a steak outside and ran it over a couple of times after the customer sent it back with the complaint that it was too tough! It's scary what happens behind the closed kitchen doors!)
Does racismn have to come up in every conversation? Especially one about a fast food resturant? Taco bell serves what is considered Mexican style food plain and simple with no racial agenda.
Well this is the 3rd time they have served contaminated food. one would imagine they would have got it right by now. Easy to blame suppliers or pass the buck. final product is served by them. Thank goodness i gave up junk food years ago. at least i know what is is my family food.
It can happen at any restaurant chain.
My wife and I both got a serious case of food poisoning from a Red Lobster on the night we were celebrating my graduation from college. She wound up in intensive care for 2 days while I just slowly died on the couch. Worst 3 days of my life.
My husband and I got food poisoning from a Hospital cafeteria.
You can buy bad food at the grocery store, too. Just because you make it at home does not mean it is safe. Granted, it is probably healthier. You just have to use your common sense. And for gosh sakes, do not eat anything that looks or tastes funny. It is not worth the risk.
That salsa and catsup that sits out on tables at some restaurants all day long.
Stay away from it.
You don't know what you are eating unless you make it yourself, you are picky about each ingredient, and operate a meticulous kitchen during the process.
i don't think i can agree with the findings. there is not enough meat like substance in a taco bell taco to cause anything.
Rog that Joe... Can you get sick on cardboard filler ???
LOL, have you seen the "refried beans" before they get reconstituted? I could swear they were using tree fungus! The stuff looked NASTY!
I have been eating at Toxic Bell for a long time and have not had any problem. Just good luck I guess, but I don't live in the states that had the problem. May be different locations get their supplies from different places.
And sometimes it can just boil down to a single employee with "poopy paws".
YIKES!!!!!!! Crying shame, but, most likely true too.... YIKES!!!!
poopy paws huh? haha lol
"Poopy Paws". That is too funny. However, that is most likely accurate.
Do you know who else has good taco buns?MY MOM!
Harmed by bad publicity? Isn't that the way it's SUPPOSED to work? Taco Bell goes belly up because they allow feces or whatever onto their food and another/better fast food chain fills the void. Isn't this capitalism at work?
except this isnt capitalism.. its a corporatist polygarchy
OH no! Not Taco Bell! I consider them the safest because their food is so processed. The only place left I haven't got sick from. Most likely this has to do with the KFC side of their business. I once saw a Taco Bell close because the didn't have enough product. They were delived a bunch of KFC chicken instead.
i could believe it... my guess its the lettuce from taco bell if it is taco bell.
I really hate how everyone just assumes every restaurant is owned by the same company, with the same suppliers, and run by the same kind of people. I know at my store we are very VERY strict about food safety. Also some of you REALLY need to take a food safety class. lol
Isn't this the 2nd time in two years that Taco Bell has been linked to salmonella? Wasn't it Tomatoes the year before from Taco Bell?
Not only is it the second time in two years, it is at least the third time in 5 years, and you can say, blame the supplier, but it is the restaurants responsibility to serve the freshest, best product that they can.
taco bell? more like TACO SMELL, make a run for the bowl !