Taco Bell Lawsuit Possible without Knowing Source of Outbreak
According to the CDC, shredded lettuce is the most likely source of the E. coli outbreak linked to Taco Bell restaurants in Delaware, New Jersey, New York and Pennsylvania. The CDC, FDA, USDA and Taco Bell have been working together to find the source, but have not been able to pinpoint any food. Shredded lettuce is merely their best guess. What victims of the outbreak need to know is that they have a case against Taco Bell and other parties even if health officials never pinpoint the food that was the source of the outbreak. For information on evidence, liability and damages, see our Taco Bell E. coli lawsuit FAQ on our website. To discuss a Taco Bell lawsuit with an experienced E. coli lawyer, please call toll-free at 1-888-377-8900, e-mail Fred Pritzker or fill out our online-consultation form.
What the CDC Does Know
By comparing foods consumed by ill and well persons, investigators can show statistical links between illness and consumption of particular food ingredients. Public health investigators have identified a few ingredients that were consumed more often by ill persons than well persons and were statistically linked with illness: lettuce, cheddar cheese, and ground beef. This analysis also indicates that onions of any type are not linked to this outbreak. The investigators have also gathered additional information about the locations of involved restaurants, the patterns of distribution of food ingredients, and the characteristics and preparation of food ingredients. Evaluation of all these data indicates that shredded lettuce consumed at Taco Bell restaurants in the northeastern United States was the most likely source of the outbreak. Because multiple Taco Bell restaurants were involved during the same time period, contamination of lettuce likely occurred before reaching the restaurants. Health officials and the restaurant chain are working collaboratively to learn more about the shredded lettuce to determine how it may have become contaminated.
What about the Onions?
Public health laboratories are testing food samples from Taco Bell restaurants. A sample of chopped yellow onions collected on December 4 from an open bin in a Taco Bell restaurant in Nassau County, New York tested positive for E. coli O157:H7. This strain has a “DNA fingerprint” pattern that is different from that of the outbreak strain; the pattern of the chopped onion strain has not been seen before in ill persons in this country. Samples of green onions obtained by the restaurant chain tested negative for E. coli O157; the initial report of a preliminary positive on these samples by a laboratory hired by the restaurant chain was not confirmed. No other food item has a definite or preliminary test indicating the presence of E. coli O157.
