Popular restaurant chain Chipotle Mexican Grill is all set to pay approximately $25 million in order to settle charges against it for violation of food safety.
In recent news, the department of justice revealed that the company has agreed to pay the amount to settle criminal charges against it.
Additionally, it also announced that this California-based company has agreed for a three-year deferred prosecution agreement granted that it pays the fine and adheres to improve its food safety standards.
Judy Hunt, the Assistant Attorney at the Department of Justice’s Civil Divison, said that this case highlights the importance of following food safety policies by restaurants and all other members of the foodservice industry.
The companies should constantly monitor whether or not the managers and employees are adhering to the right safety standards.
The charges belong to Chipotle related outbreak of norovirus between the years 2015 and 2018. This outbreak resulted in 1,100 people being sick in the US.
In Chipotle’s deferred prosecution agreement, there is a factual statement that explains that the restaurants were responsible for around five foodborne illnesses during 2015 and 2018 in Boston, Los Angeles, Virginia, and Ohio.
A statement from Attorney Nick Hanna read that the company’s employees were unable to understand and follow the food safety protocols, which resulted in hundreds of its customers being sick across the country.
The massive fine, along with tens of millions of dollars that the restaurant has already invested in upgrading its food safety program should ensure higher protection for its customers.
It will also serve as a reminder for other entities within the industry to review and upgrade their safety protocols.
In one of the incidents in 2015, around 234 customers and many employees from a Chipotle restaurant located in Los Angeles got sick. The DOJ later found that according to the company’s policy, illnesses of employees should have been reported, but it did not follow the rules.
There was another incident in December 2015, in which around 141 customers, along with some staff of a Chipotle in Boston, fell sick. The DOC revealed that even after the manager vomited in the restaurant, he was forced to work.
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