Health officials found boxes of raw chicken 'leaning' on packaged foods in Chipotle restaurants linked to illness reports

Hollis JohnsonChipotle has spent millions of dollars on measures to improve food safety.

Health officials have inspected three Chipotle restaurants in Powell, Ohio, after receiving nearly 700 inquiries related to a suspected foodborne-illness outbreak.

Inspectors said they found boxes of raw chicken "leaning" on other packaged foods, creating a contamination risk, in two restaurants.

The violations come after Chipotle has spent millions of dollars on measures to improve food safety.

Health officials have inspected three Chipotle restaurants in Powell, Ohio, following reports from customers who said they got sick after eating at the restaurants.

In two of the restaurants, inspectors found boxes of raw chicken "leaning" on other packaged foods, according to health records.The violations come after Chipotle has spent millions of dollars on measures to improve food safety.

The Delaware General Health District (DGHD) on Thursday found "boxes of raw chicken partially leaning onto boxes of packaged foods" at the Chipotle restaurant located at 9733 Sawmill Parkway that's at the center of a suspected illness outbreak, according to health records. The proximity of the raw chicken to other foods presented a risk of contamination, according to the report.

Following a visit to another Chipotle at 8695 Owenfield Drive in Powell on Wednesday, inspectors wrote, a "box of raw chicken [was] observed up against boxes of unopened beans and very close to ready-to-eat items."

Inspectors also found foods that were not being held at proper temperatures.

In an emailed statement to Business Insider, Chipotle spokeswoman Laurie Schalow said: "Food safety is our number one priority and we are proud of the industry leading practices and training we have in place across our system. These instances where two SEALED packaged products were next to each other in the walk-in refrigerator were immediately remedied."

DGHD said late Thursday that it had received nearly 800 calls and emails concerning suspected illnesses potentially stemming from the Sawmill Parkway Chipotle restaurant. Officials have tested customers' stool samples and have not yet identified a source of the possible illness outbreak. The location temporarily shut down on Monday for cleaning and reopened on Tuesday.DGHD has also received three reports of possible illnesses stemming from two other Chipotle locations - the Chipotle restaurant on Owenfield Drive and another Chipotle restaurant at 1710 Columbus Pike in Powell - which prompted inspections of both locations.

FSDA to check food being served at kanwariya camps

Meerut: Officials of the Food Safety and Drugs Administration (FSDA) are keeping a close watch on the food being served to kanwariyas at the camps set up on the Kanwar Yatra route to prevent any form of adulteration. Food being sold by dhabas and hotels on the route are also under the scanner.

In addition, the FSDA team has been tasked with ensuring that meat shops on the yatra route remain closed till the pilgrimage ends.

“Lakhs of kanwariyas on their way to Haridwar on foot pass through the city during the Kanwar Yatra. Various volunteers, city-based NGOs and religious groups play host by providing food and set up camps for the Shiva devotees to stay. To ensure that unadulterated and healthy food is served to the kanwariyas, we have formed teams of FSDA officials who will conduct surprise checks at these camps,” said Archana Dheeran, Meerut designated officer, FSDA.

An 11-point instruction notice has been circulated by the FSDA and put up at all the camps to make sure that the orders are followed strictly. The instructions include covering food properly, preventing use of food colours and serving fresh food.

“Instructions have also been given that no person with communicable disease prepares the food so as to prevent diseases from spreading among the kanwariyas. Raw vegetables have to be used only after they are cleaned in chlorinated water. The people serving food should wear clean clothes and head gears,” said Dheeran.

Orders have also been given to place dustbins and make available soap and water at the camps. The FSDA team will conduct checks and, if any suspected item is found, it will be seized, destroyed and action taken against those flouting norms. “We have asked the hotels and dhabas on the Kanwar Yatra route to display their rates, so that kanwariyas are not fleeced. Checking is also being done to see that meat shops on the yatra route are shut, and if at all any shop is found open, police help will be sought to shut it,” said Dheeran.

FSDA Norms

Ban on use of edible food colour

Dhabas and hotels told to display food rate list

No person with a communicable disease should cook food in camps

Food must be kept covered at all times

Flour units under scanner

VADODARA: Ahead of the holy month of Shravan during which many people fast during the day, officials of the Vadodara Municipal Corporation (VMC) checked units making flour that is fit for consumption even during fasts. Teams of the civic body collected samples of the flour that were sent to the public health laboratory for testing.

According to officials, food safety officers of the civic body checked units in the Bakrawadi, Harni Road, Sayajigunj, Mandvi and Chokhandi areas of the city. Six samples were collected from the flour stored in the units.

The civic body will also be holding a workshop on Saturday for street food vendors in the city. They will be given tips on hygiene during the event to be held in the Diwalipura community hall of the civic body.

Mission Tandrust Punjab: Food Safety Team raids dairies and Sweet Shops

Nawanshahr, August 04, 2018: On the directions of K.S Pannu, director mission tandrust ,Punjab ,Nawanshshr Food Safety Team, comprising of Manoj Khosla assistant commissioner food, Sangeeta Sehdev food safety officer raided various dairies, milk suppliers/ vendors, sweets shop early in this morning and took six samples of milk and milk products for analysis. Manoj Khosla said under tandrust punjab a special drive is going on to curb the adulteration . 

He further said we are committed to come up to the expectation of the society and will win the fight against spurious food products with the cooporation of the society. Ms Sangeeta Sehdev told that the reports are being sent to the head office on daily basis. 

She further appealed to the public to inform the department regarding any illegal activity being carried out in food products.Action will be taken against the delequents as per food safety act and drive will be continued more intensively in coming days.

Food safety teams raid milk establishments to check adulteration

Chandigarh, Aug 4 (UNI) Acting tough against spurious milk and milk products, newly appointed Punjab Food and Drug Administration Commissioner K S Pannu constituted 22 teams to raid dairy establishments across the state to check the prevailing malpractices in terms of quality of food.

The teams raided 300 places across the state in past 24 hours and collected samples, which have been sent to State Food Testing Lab at Kharar for testing.

Mr Pannu said that the State has adopted zero tolerance policy with regards to food adulteration, under Tandarust Punjab Mission.

He warned those indulging in food adulteration to immediately stop such activities otherwise department will leave no stone unturned to crush such practices with heavy hands.

Any person indulging in food adulteration is liable for imprisonment of six months and fine up to Rs 10 lakh.