Mighty Taco’s beans linked to over 140 illnesses

While living in Guelph (that’s in Canada), I listened to sports talk radio from Buffalo NY sometimes and the only thing I remember about the station were low-budget Mighty Taco commercials (sort of like the one below).

And now I equate Mighty Taco a refried bean-linked outbreak – which sounds like it might be perfringens (thanks to Schaffner for the link). According to WKBW, the outbreak continues to grow.

Mighty Taco got a bad rep last week when customers in Erie County started complaining they got sick after eating at the fast food chain.

According to the Erie County Department of Health, there are now 142 reported illnesses linked to nine different Mighty Taco locations.

The Public Information Officer for the ECDOH, Mary St. Mary, says it is important to note that no one has reported getting sick after the suspected refried beans were removed from the restaurants.

Folks that sell food that makes 142 ill deserve a bad reputation – especially if they can’t tell you what their suppliers are doing.

 

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About Ben Chapman

Dr. Ben Chapman is a professor and food safety extension specialist at North Carolina State University. As a teenager, a Saturday afternoon viewing of the classic cable movie, Outbreak, sparked his interest in pathogens and public health. With the goal of less foodborne illness, his group designs, implements, and evaluates food safety strategies, messages, and media from farm-to-fork. Through reality-based research, Chapman investigates behaviors and creates interventions aimed at amateur and professional food handlers, managers, and organizational decision-makers; the gate keepers of safe food. Ben co-hosts a biweekly podcast called Food Safety Talk and tries to further engage folks online through Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, YouTube and, maybe not surprisingly, Pinterest. Follow on Twitter @benjaminchapman.