WASHINGTON — The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention released an announcement on Jan. 19 stating that an unnamed “Mexican-style fast food restaurant chain” was investigated in connection to a multistate outbreak of Salmonella that began in October 2011.
On Wednesday, Food Safety News reported that the fast food chain — referred to only as “Restaurant Chain A” in the CDC report — was Taco Bell.
According to CDC, a total of 68 individuals infected with the outbreak strain of Salmonella Enteritidis have been reported from 10 states: Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas, Iowa, Michigan, Missouri, Nebraska, New Mexico, Ohio and Tennessee.
The CDC report stated that “Among 52 ill persons for whom information is available, 60% reported eating at Restaurant Chain A in the week before illness onset.”
However, the data gathered by CDC indicated that the contamination likely occurred before the product reached the restaurant locations.