Owner of Red Lobster, Olive Garden says they haven't had problems with salad supplier previously

[The Straight Story]

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Food and Drug Administration says an outbreak of stomach illnesses in Iowa and Nebraska is linked to salad mix served at Olive Garden and Red Lobster restaurants in those states and supplied by a Mexican farm.

The outbreak of cyclospora infections has sickened more than 400 people in 16 states in all. The agency says it is working to determine whether the salad mix is the source of illnesses in the other 14 states.

"It is not yet clear whether the cases reported from other states are all part of the same outbreak," the agency said in a statement. "The investigation of increased cases of cyclosporiasis in other states continues."

Both Olive Garden and Red Lobster are owned by Orlando-based Darden Restaurants. In a statement, Darden spokesman Mike Bernstein said the FDA's announcement is "new information."

"Nothing we have seen prior to this announcement gave us any reason to be concerned about the products we've received from this supplier," Bernstein said.

http://bigstory.ap.org/article/fda-links-stomach-bug-2-states-mexican-farm

[AndyA]

1. I don't eat at Red Lobster or Olive Garden due to their anti-worker policies

I've heard lots of others are avoiding them as well, which has hit their profits. Who knows, perhaps the boycott saved a few people from getting sick.

[GP6971]

2. I do too

Plus their food sucks. Haven't been to either chain in years and plan to keep it that way.