Following a series of food safety issues leading to E. coli and norovirus outbreaks along the West Coast and in Massachusetts, Chipotle implemented a new set of food preparation practices.
This week, however, the Wall Street Journal reported that the Mexican-food chain might rethinking some of these new policies.
Previously, Chipotle committed to high-resolution DNA-based testing its ingredients. Citing people familiar with the matter, the Journal said that the company is considering reduced pathogen testing, or eliminating it altogether.
However, Chris Arnold, Chipotle communications director, says that any changes that might occur are for the better.
“We are not backing off on our commitment to food safety,” Arnold told Manufacturing.net. “Any changes that we make to the way we prepare ingredients, cook food, or our testing protocols, for example, are all done to improve our food safety program.”
(AP Photo/Alan Diaz)The only procedural change Arnold confirmed at this point is with the preparation of steak, which is cooked “sous vide” (over low temperatures for a long amount of time) at a centralized kitchen, then marinated, grilled and served in restaurants.
In the wake of its food safety issues, Chipotle announced yesterday that it expects to post its first loss since 2006 — when the company began publicly trading — for the first quarter.
Those matters might be made worse by a plan to send out 21 million coupons for free burritos in an attempt to get customers back in its stores — a measure Bloomberg estimates could cost the company $66 million.
Do you think Chipotle should back off of some of its new food safety procedures? Comment below or tweet @KatieeMohr.
