Is Chipotle being Swiftboated by Big Food?

[GeeNeeUs]

OK, we are witnessing an ongoing sewer gush of attacks on Chipotle for alleged food safety issues. This current wave of attacks follows a documented series of blowback attacks from Big Food, Big Chem, Big Ag and Big GMO in their unholy industrial-chemical alliance. They fear and disdain Chipotle because the chain features clean food, and has forthrightly, and with wit, attacked the Industrial Chemical Diet Financial Complex.

Could it be that rather than Chipotle suddenly getting super sloppy with sanitation all over kingdom come - here, there and everywhere - they are instead the victims of a Swiftboating attack by an undercover unholy alliance of Big Food, Big Chem, Big Ag and Big GMO? In my view, they have the means, the motive, and the opportunity. And they already have a skanky track record of scuzzy, Republican-like corporate maneuvers.

Discuss among yourselves.

Disclaimer: I have no skin in this debate. I've eaten at Chipotle a number of times over the years, but I'm not an employee, a investor, or a Black-Ops Corporate Counter Mole, or whatever. I'm just a guy who values good health based on a good, clean diet and who has seen up close and personal the wholesale ravages that can come when people subsist on chemically drenched highly processed corporate rations.

?1437403073

[NobodyHere]

1. What is "switboated"?

[Furrfu]

2. Definition

swift-boat
verbinformal
gerund or present participle: swiftboating
target (a politician or public figure) with a campaign of personal attacks.
"when he got swift-boated, his campaign staffers didn't sit silently"

[GeeNeeUs]

9. An example: Jeb Bush defends McCain, but supported Swift Boat attacks on Kerry

In which Republicans not only get to be deceitful, vicious, and hypocritical - It's a perfected Republican Corporate Trifecta strategy.

http://www.cnn.com/2015/07/20/politics/jeb-bush-swift-boat-veterans/

[pinboy3niner]

42. It's when Loretta does it

Apparently.

[Dr Hobbitstein]

85. .

[JustABozoOnThisBus]

97. Yes, the pepper in Mexican(ish) food will cause Hot Lips.

muy buena!

[darkangel218]

3. Of course they are being targeted by big Agra and Monsanto.

It's a no brainer.

[restorefreedom]

59. ^^^^^^this^^^^^^^ nt

[yeoman6987]

64. Well they certainly gave them reason

Food safety should be number 1 priority. Chipotle didn't do their job and failed miserably. Why give excuses? Just clean up the act and go on. Excuses allow for continuing practices which will end up in bankruptcy.

[NJCher]

4. I ran across a vitriolic attack on them at Forbes

When I read it, I said "this is way, way over the top, and furthermore, it doesn't smell right." I thought that because it had the air of one of those right wing "think tank" pieces. I also made a mental note to watch out for other pieces along this line. So often one can tell it's a hit job (think Dr. Sanjay Gupta) because of the similarity of talking points.

Too bad it's the end of the term. This would make an interesting analysis for a writing and research class, critical thinking section.



Cher

on edit: wonder if it wouldn't be a good idea to alert their marketing or PR manager to this possibility. I think I'll do that.

[darkangel218]

7. Good idea, I will do the same.

We all should.
I will probably call their corporate and speak to someone or leave a VM.

[CBGLuthier]

5. No.

[darkangel218]

8. Prove it.

[CBGLuthier]

11. No, I do believe the burden of proof lies in your allegations not my denial.

Chipotle fucked up. Just admit it and quit trying to imagine some vast conspiracy.

[obnoxiousdrunk]

14. +1 .. n/t

[darkangel218]

19. You answered the OP with a simple "NO".

What do you know that we don't ? Do you know the source of the contamination??

How can you be 100% sure that this is not a planned attack?

Of course, I won't hold my breath for youbto come up with an actual answer.

[CBGLuthier]

20. I "know" that your allegations are pulled out of your ass and based on nothing

Really i do believe you fail at rhetoric 101.

[darkangel218]

23. So you don't have an answer. You don't know where the contamination started

But you claim to be absolutely certain the contamination was not a planned attack on this restaurant chain.

[mythology]

53. Ironic given that in post 3 you claim the conspiracy is a "no brainer"

With absolutely no evidence and yet you are absolutely certain.

[uppityperson]

81. How do you prove a negative?

[still_one]

6. It isn't alledged. Multiple Chipotle locations from the East coast to the West Coast have been

identified as the source of a specific e-coli outbreak. Where within the Chipotle enterprise has not been identified. The source could very well be a supplier of produce or meats to Chipotle.

Chipotle seems to be the most widespread, but other places have encountered issues also. Costco identified an e-coli outbreak, whose source was identified as their chicken salad.

[NJCher]

44. actually

I heard on a news report there are at least 2 different types of e coli at Chipotle.



Cher

[still_one]

46. Really. That is interesting because some are more dangerous then others

[Cal Carpenter]

10. There are 1,700 Chipotle locations

How are they not 'big food'? Just because they use a little greenwashing and make people feel a little better about their fast food choices?

ETA: the food borne outbreak is a symptom of being 'big food'. So is the fact that the CEO makes 1500 times what their workers do.

[Brickbat]

12. ^^ This.

[Quackers]

76. That?

[marmar]

13. ^ This

[NuclearDem]

17. This.

Chipotle is fast food and big food.

[NJCher]

18. what they're doing is dangerous to the Monsanto types

because other fast food outlets are changing their practices. Look at what McDonald's is doing:

http://www.nytimes.com/2015/03/05/business/mcdonalds-moving-to-antibiotic-free-chicken.html?_r=0

The fact is that the world of food is changing, and fast food restaurants are having to change their practices to keep up. This is leaving a lot of suppliers out in the cold.

Why wouldn't they plant e coli at various locations around the Chipotle network of restaurants? It would be so easy. And it creates a continuing PR nightmare. We'll teach you! We'll teach you to lower salt, cut out GMOs, and how dare you utter the word "tofu!"



Cher

[Cal Carpenter]

34. On one hand, you are oversimplifying things, and on the other

you are making it overly complicated.

The OP uses the term 'big food'. To assume there is some monolithic industry with one agenda like this is oversimplifying. There are various interests in our food industry, from seeds and fertilizers to fast food to everything in between. Just because one aspect of this industry seems at odds with some other aspects doesn't mean either of them are working for the health of the common good. Eg just because Monsanto may be at odds with the messaging of Chipotle doesn't make either of them less of a 'big food' corp. Just like different parts of 'Wall Street' may have differing ideas of what a good piece of legislation is.

Saying 'Big Ag' or 'Big Food' or 'Big Pharma' or 'Wall Street' or 'Corporate Politicians' can be useful to an extent but there are too many contradictions within those giant categories for them to be very meaningful. That's what I mean by oversimplifying. And I think it is a dangerous road to tread because there are enough rivalries and inconsistencies of agendas within things like the food system that clumping them all together essentially nullifies any argument made on the basis of 'big food' or 'big pharma' etc.

And the e coli outbreak is inevitable in our food system the way things work, especially for a large restaurant chain with massive distribution of ingredients. There is no need for sabotage. It wasn't their first problem with food-borne illness and it won't be the last unless our overall food production and distribution system changes. There's no need to complicate it.

[NJCher]

51. naive

To assume there is some monolithic industry with one agenda like this is oversimplifying.

And I think it is a dangerous road to tread because there are enough rivalries and inconsistencies of agendas within things like the food system that clumping them all together essentially nullifies any argument made on the basis of 'big food' or 'big pharma' etc.

I think the problem here is that you're reading into possibly the OP and also my post. Where do you see anyone saying the industry is operating as a monolith? I doubt if anyone seriously thinks they all get together for secret meetings and say, "Let's plan an e coli outbreak at... Chipotle! Yeah, that's it, Chipotle!" More likely it would be a few bad actors who have done this sort of thing before. And yes, they would be in that industry, but not necessarily represent all of it.

The argument you make in the second copy and paste I've put above is naive. It's also factually incorrect. Have you not read of how consolidated the food supply is? I can give you a few books. Try Salt Sugar Fat by Moss of the NY Times. See this link:

http://www.nytimes.com/2015/10/20/dining/michael-moss-food-for-tomorrow.html

In that book, you will find that they do have regular meetings of all the major processed food companies to negotiate strategy on how they are going to deal with threats to their business. And you will read how resistant they were to the message that their time was coming.

You also need to see Merchants of Doubt. Do these people ever know how to influence public opinion.

Do you know who some of the players in Big Food are? Urm, maybe people from the cigarette industry? Phillip Morris bought General Foods and then pulled the old name switcheroo.

But oh nooooo, there wouldn't be anyone in that group who would pull any dirty tricks, is there? After all, they so gracefully accepted the fate of smoking in the U.S. Yeah, they just walked away, tail between their legs, and they would never stoop to sliming anyone. Nosirrreee.

I could go on, but I won't because critiquing written arguments happens to be my job, and I don't need to give you any more free advice. And don't get me started on the jobs I've held in Big Food that allowed me a first hand view into how they manipulate public opinion.



Cher

[Cal Carpenter]

56. Wow, so...

I'll do my best to react to the arguments you are making rather than the condescending tone you are using.

I fear you have completely missed my point and brought up a dozen things that weren't even on the table. I am not defending the processed food companies, or denying that they could or would do or have done something to sabotage efforts to improve the food industry in ways that challenge their hegemony over the industry.

The OP has set this up like it is the bad guys vs the good guys, so somehow Chipotle represents the good guys. I think *that* is naïve. And I take major exception to that.

It is naïve to assume that a corporation like Chipotle (which, speaking of McDonalds, wouldn't be the giant chain it is today if it hadn't been for the nearly 10 years McDonalds was its largest shareholder and invested so much in Chipotle it expanded from a dozen locations to hundreds) is somehow unlikely to suffer from food-borne illness problems without a sabotage attempt by another corporation.

I am well aware of the insane and dangerous power of large food companies. I just think it is vital to the big picture to recognize that even though some food corps display a kinder, gentler type of big business we still need to look at them very critically.

Look, I watched first hand when the federal government decided to get in on the organic certification thing. I watched the food industry do their damnedest to water those standards down until meaningless and overpower the voices of the small growers and producers who were actually trying to maintain integrity. I watched as they made sure no one could claim that organically grown food was safer or healthier or more nutritious than conventional.

I also watched as those standards have become even weaker due to lobbying over the last 17 years or so. I watched while 'kinder gentler' corporations like Whole Foods and, yes, Chipotle, make the most of marketing to people's fears without substantial changes or challenges to the real problems in our food systems. That's what I mean by 'greenwashing' and I'm not going to bother you with a bunch of links about how this has been exposed but I'm sure you know as well as I do that they are out there since you are such an expert.

I also watched as a major organic commodity supplier used nothing more than faxed documents in Chinese as proof that ingredients being used by a US company were organic. I watched as UNFI made it nearly impossible for smaller businesses that haven't sold out to the General Foods, Nabisco etc get distribution into natural food chain stores. So all these things that are MARKETED to make people feel better about their 'food choices' are at best half-assed, and at worst totally manipulating people based on their fears with products that are barely different from their 'conventional' counterparts.

I'm not here to give a rundown of my credentials and experience in the industry but you are not the only one who has seen this industry from the inside. Needless to say I am strongly skeptical about all large food companies whether they land 100% on the 'Monsanto-type' party line or not. And that's what I meant by pointing out that there can be conflicting agendas among major players in *any* industry.

If critiquing written arguments is your thing, I would think you would realize the danger in setting up a black-and-white scenario like the OP with a scope much larger than the topic at hand, or your use of phrasing like “Monsanto types” when trying to present an argument. Say what you mean – you are supporting the argument that Monsanto poisoned Chipotle, and that Chipotle represents the opposite of 'Big food' or 'Big Ag'. The thing is, Monsanto doesn't NEED to sabotage them in this way. Chipotle has had this happen half a dozen times in the past. Do you think 'Monsanto types' sabotaged Chipotle in all those cases? Is that what you are really arguing? Because if you know about food systems then you surely know these things are inevitable and happen regularly in such businesses.

Is it getting more press than other cases? Maybe. Is that because of the corporate connections between food giants and the media? Maybe. So argue that specific point.

[saturnsring]

35. excellent points thanks,cal .............nt

[RiverLover]

92. Brava!

Well said, Cal!!!

[Brickbat]

15. Poor, poor Chipotle.

It could solve these problems by dropping its hope-it-goes-away approach to the issue.

[dembotoz]

16. with fresh food you get the risk of frresh bacteria they kind of go hand in hand

[GeeNeeUs]

21. Oh my.

And Merry Xemical Xmas, Inc. as well.

[ProfessorGAC]

22. Your Screenname Seems Inappropriate

Sorry. Just my take.

[GeeNeeUs]

25. My take: Lots of people hate science

But it is tragically irrational. Even if corporately lubricated.

"There is strong evidence that eating a healthy diet, being physically active, and achieving and maintaining a healthy body weight can help lower cancer risk..."

- U.S. National Library of Medicine
https://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/002096.htm

[ProfessorGAC]

37. Your Talking To An Advanced Degreed Chemist

So, clearly you have made a statement with no basis or point.

[GeeNeeUs]

55. Just because you have a vested interest in supporting synthetic chemicals

there is no excuse for trying to censor or shut down an important discussion.

The Republicans do that all the time, arguing that it's somehow "wrong" or misguided to ask questions.

I think (unlike Republicans) that questions are important, especially when it comes to the food we eat and serve to our families.

Since Big Chem, Big Food, Big GMO all had Motive, Means, and Opportunity, questions are necessary,
despite your self-stated vested interest in supporting chemicalized food and censoring honest inquiry.

The Assault on Organics: Ignoring science to make the case for chemical farming


http://fair.org/extra-online-articles/the-assault-on-organics/

[elehhhhna]

40. Meet the professor.

[GeeNeeUs]

57. Professor Vested Interest?

Last edited Wed Dec 23, 2015, 04:25 PM - Edit history (1)

Sorry. Not impressed with the notion that someone with a personal vested interest in synthetic chemicals has any special insight to offer, especially if the vested interest person is trying to mock or staunch discussion on an important topic.

As a American and as a Democrat, I feel it's important to ask important questions, and not to let those questions be shut down -- especially by people with self-declared vested interests.

[elehhhhna]

83. Lol chemists are bad

You are simply ignorant.

[JustABozoOnThisBus]

98. Chemists are not bad

They're just disappointed they can't turn lead into gold.

Yet.

[dembotoz]

26. my experience come from the care of a leukemia patient wife with suppressed immune system

enjoy your fresh fetish

[GeeNeeUs]

32. My sympathies and my condolences to you on your loss.

I likewise lost my beloved wife to cancer -- and also my mother, my father, my brother, and far too many friends. It is a great tragedy and a great sorrow to see their bodies corrupted.

In the context of our losses and sorrows, it's interesting to contemplate the study posted on DU today by AZ Progressive < http://www.democraticunderground.com/10027468990 >, showing how cancer and heart disease become progessively more prevalent, simultaneous with the exponential increase in chemicalized processed foods.

Of course, correlation does not prove guilt. But in my view one would have to be a DAMN FOOL to blow it off as inconsequential.

From: http://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMp1113569?query=featured_home&

The top 10 causes of death in the United States:

(All figures are in # of deaths / 100,000)


1900:

1. Influenza & Pneumonia: 202.2
2. Tuberculosis: 194.4
3. Gastrointestinal infections: 142.7
4. Heart Disease: 137.4
5. Cerebrovascular disease (stroke): 106.9
6. Nepropathies: 88.6
7. All Accidents: 72.3
8. Cancer: 64.0
9. Senility: 50.2
10. Diphtheria: 40.3


1960:

1. Heart Disease: 369.0
2. Cancer: 149.2
3. Cerebrovascular disease (stroke): 108.0
4. Disease of early infancy: 37.4
5. Influenza & Pneumonia: 37.3
6. Non-motor vehicle accidents: 31.0
7. Motor vehicle accidents: 21.3
8. Vascular disease: 20.0
9. Diabetes: 16.7
10. Congenital malformations: 12.2



2010:

1. Heart Disease: 192.9
2. Cancer: 185.9
3. Chronic Airways Disease: 44.6
4. Cerebrovascular disease (stroke): 41.8
5. All Accidents: 38.2
6. Alzheimers Disease: 27.0
7. Diabetes: 22.3
8. Nepropathies: 16.3
9. Influenza & Pneumonia: 16.2
10. Suicide: 12.2

[madinmaryland]

71. What do your statistics prove?

That heart disease, stroke, and cancer have been killers for the last 110 years? The top three killers in 1900 have nearly been eliminated. Is that your point?

[PyaarRevolution]

86. Influenza and the miracle of sanitation.

The reason why Influenza largely went away, I contest, is because of the quality sanitation system we created throughout the 20th century. Consider the Flu epidemic of the 1920's in the U.S. and the environment. New York City at that time was filthy and disgusting, God only knows how dirty the sewage system was then compared to now.
Good sanitation has done a world of good for people's health in the United States and also given people the misguided notion that Alleopathic medicine is substantially more effective than it's natural/Herbologic counterpart because of its recent introduction. Let us not forget the big antibiotic introduced to society that combated Scarlet Fever, Penicillin, came from mold.
Anyway, back to the topic as a whole, could this be a hit job on Chipolte? Possibly. I do find it pathetic how earlier Chipolte had to defend their non-GMO decision by saying it's what their customers wanted and is in no way healthier. This is how the Biotech industry has gotten any business, big or small, to quake in their boots.
If you, as an individual, question the safety of GMO's or other things, they'll always call you a luddite regardless if you're all about tech. anywhere else.

[GreatGazoo]

48. and where does anitbitoic resistant e coli come from?

Indeed, public health officials have been warning about the impending "post-antibiotic era" for years. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says that annually 2 million Americans are infected with bacteria that are resistant to antibiotics and more than 20,000 die from those infections. Each year the world's arsenal of antibiotics loses a bit more of its strength as bacteria mutate and develop resistance.

The growing resistance stems from the overuse of antibiotics by humans, but also in livestock operations. To keep their herd healthy, farmers often preemptively give antibiotics to their animals even if none are sick.

http://www.npr.org/sections/goatsandsoda/2015/11/20/456689272/e-coli-bacteria-can-transfer-antibiotic-resistance-to-other-bacteria

[zappaman]

27. No. n/t

[greytdemocrat]

36. I know.

This is just a bait thread.

[Algernon Moncrieff]

28. Think in broader terms: are they being terrorized?

Re big food: remember that for much of its existence, Chipotle was owned by McDonalds. I think Chipotle is now enough of a part of the fast food landscape to be considered a player at this point.

That is not to say that this series of outbreaks has a cause other than bad luck or poor supplier choice. Disgruntled employees; organized crime (read: protection racket); straight up blackmail are all real possibilities that cannot be discounted. Terrorism cannot completely be discounted.

I would be surprised if the FBI was not quietly investigating this.

[Dr Hobbitstein]

29. So Big Food put e.coli in Chipotle food?

Not sure what you're on about here, but a few Chipotle stores ARE the source of e.coli outbreaks. How it's a "Big Food" conspiracy is beyond me.

Why is this even discussion on a Democratic message board? We pride ourselves on being on the side of facts, but post fact-free dribble like this as a serious conversation?

[zappaman]

38. well, can you prove "big food" executives aren't breaking into Chipotle late at night and

pooping in the food?
you can't, can you?

[actslikeacarrot]

74. Well, with the amount of outbreaks...

There HAS to have been a second shitter!

[liberal N proud]

30. Last several visits to Chipotle, what I saw...

There are 3 Chipotle restaurants close to where I live, all 3 within 3 miles. What I saw on my last several visits was some questionable methods by some employees in how they were handling food.

Bare handing the shells or doing other non food related things with gloves on and then returning to server food without changing gloves.

Cleanliness in all three locations has been lacking of late, trash cans unattended, tables that have not been wiped down and food on the counters behind the glass.

I think that they got lax at some locations for whatever reason, understaffing or poor quality of work or some other reason and that the big food, big pharm and big ag have taken advantage of it.

If you are going to boast that you are going to be fresh and organic, you had better take the steps to protect the food and the employee and that has to be ingrained in the employee from day one of their employment with no tolerance for error.

I honestly think they let their guard down either at a corporate level or regional levels. Maybe they grew too big to handle the organic only process.

All I know is it is a shame, because Chipotle has great flavor.

[Frank Cannon]

90. I've noticed the same things.

I was disappointed, but actually not surprised, when I heard about this e coli stuff.

I stopped going to Chipotle a while ago. We have a smaller chain in the region that does the Mission burrito thing much better, in my opinion.

[GoneFishin]

31. My money is on it being a deliberate punishment and warning about publicly going GMO free.

[zappaman]

54. "My money is on it being a deliberate punishment and warning about publicly going GMO free."

I'll take that bet.
How much?

Present your evidence please.

[GoneFishin]

73. Yeah. Funny. As if the dirtbags they would have hired will just come forward and admit that

they committed acts of terrorism by poisoning the public.

[zappaman]

75. Uh huh.

[Orrex]

99. See? The lack of witnesses and evidence is proof.

Um.

[TipTok]

33. I'm going to buy some of their stock while its low... I think they'll be back

[roody]

78. Been thinking about that too.

[Squinch]

104. I got some. I was a little early to do it, but I still think they'll come back. McDOnalds had

people die of e coli at one point, as did Jack in the Box and Costco. So I'm thinking this is weatherable.

[Tommy_Carcetti]

39. No.

They're being schlonged by Big Food.

[Archae]

41. What the hell is this instant "It's gotta be a conspiracy!" to anything and everything?

I expect it from the Alex Jones tinfoil-hat groupies.

I realize that there always will be those who need "The Enemy" to rail against, no matter how pulled out of the imagination they are.

As to this "Chipotle got nailed by Big Food," it has as much evidence as does the "Sandy Hook shooting was faked" theory.

[tammywammy]

47. It does seem like everything these days is a conspiracy

Nothing can be because of negligence or stupidity, it's always someone else's fault.

SMH

[PyaarRevolution]

94. I won't dismiss this possibility either.

Lets just remember that sabotage is in the big corporate playbook though sometimes it's couched as being above board(when Marijuana and by extension Hemp got banned in the 30's).

[Goblinmonger]

43. .....

Couldn't just be that Chipotle needs to make their safety procedures more strict. That can't bit it. Needs to be "big food."

[Vinca]

45. If it's being swiftboated it's by employees who aren't washing their hands or the veggies.

[GreatGazoo]

49. No

but there are 800 Americans who visit hospitals with e coli every day and only 45 in 4 weeks (so that's 45 out of ~22,400 cases) have any connection to Chipotle.

Chipotle has done over 2500 tests on ingredients and employees in the suspected locations. They found no employees with e coli and no source for e coli in any food.

[JCMach1]

50. Literally, if they weren't serving shite, there wouldn't be a problem...

[BlueJazz]

52. It could very well of "been made to happen". There's been more nasty stuff done undercover than..

....most people could possibly dream about. Sadly, some of the people ranting about conspiracy theories are part of the system.

[NightWatcher]

58. I think it's being Shitboated by dirty hipster employees who don't clean

[GeeNeeUs]

60. Ahh, good old-fashioned hippie punching

Always a popular propaganda ploy for Republican corporatistas.

Surprising, and disappointing, to see it flung about on DU.

[Cal Carpenter]

61. He said hipster, not hippie

Please don't conflate the two.

Signed,

a hippie.

[GeeNeeUs]

62. OK, heading off to a Remedial Re-education clinic

But I don't support Hipster Punching either. I'm just sayin...

[NYC Liberal]

66. Ever been to or worked at a fast food restaurant?

Most of them are, shall we say, lax with following health codes. It would hardly surprise me if Chipotle was among them.

[NightWatcher]

68. Actually it's a Hipster joke, but feel free to be outraged

Sense of humor is not a prerequisite for access to DU, unfortunately.

[Warren DeMontague]

63. That might make sense in an isolated incident

however, the presence of shiga toxin e-coli in multiple locations speaks to more than just lack of proper cleaning from isolated employees.

There's something rotten in the supply chain.

[Blue_In_AK]

65. Chipotle doesn't scare me.

I still plan to eat there every chance I get. Unfortunately, there aren't any in Alaska.

[progressoid]

67. Uhhhhh....WTF?

[Drahthaardogs]

69. Swiftboating was based on lies

Chipotle is selling contaminated food. I mean, they did it. Where is the swiftboating?

[GeeNeeUs]

70. Quasi-official HOLIDAY TRUCE declared for Universal Winter Fest Eve Eve

Thank you one and all for participating in this informed and mostly civil discussion about our food. See you again in our ongoing QUEST FOR TRUTH, JUSTICE, AND CLEAN FOOD.

[Nailzberg]

72. You have no skin in this? Have you seen how loaded that language is? I'd say you have a bias.

[arcane1]

77. It's far more likely they are Miserly and sloppy.

[Godhumor]

79. Jesus, no

And this thread is all kinds of funny.

[dilby]

80. Well you can't spell Chipotle without ecoli.

No I don't think they are being targeted, I think they have been getting to much of a pass 6 instances of food sickness this year and they are still operating.

[bigwillq]

82. Unlikely (nt)

[Omaha Steve]

84. Yes

K&R!

OS

[Jim Beard]

87. One enemy I have not seen mentioned is the NRA

early on they ban guns from their restaurants.

[Humanist_Activist]

88. What the fuck is up with this website devolving into a shit place full of conspiracy...

theory nutcases?

Seriously, this shit needs to stop, it belongs in Creative Speculation, not general discussion.

[Orrex]

89. Holy shit you got that right.

The glee with which they're exploiting the Dubai high-rise fire was nauseating and unsurprising, for instance.


We can only hope that Chipotle collapses at free-fall speed into its own footprint.

[Humanist_Activist]

100. There has been an undercurrent of anti-intellectualism and credulity that's been running through DU.

since it started, that's true of any large message board, but generally speaking, after the 9/11 truther blowup, its been largely contained.

Just lately, conspiracy theories are getting popular, we are all Monsanto shills, or Big Pharma shills, etc. Its weird.

[Orrex]

101. I was accused just yesterday of being an "Official Story" shill

I'll need to speak with my agent, because the checks haven't been rolling in the way they should, with all of my shilling.

[Humanist_Activist]

102. Fuck, I should be a multi-millionaire due to all my shilling. n/t

[randome]

91. Here's a rare, behind-the-scenes look at Big Foods' insidious tools.

There is a rumor that 3 men have been spotted spreading e-coli using this toolkit. PROVE ME WRONG!


[hr][font color="blue"][center]You’re cheating yourself if you don’t accept the same benefit of a doubt you’d offer anyone else.[/center][/font][hr]

[pinboy3niner]

95. It's the smoking gun!

[Orrex]

93. How is Chipotle iteslf not "big food?"

And you should really give a warning before posting that pic.

[JustABozoOnThisBus]

96. They don't have a "billions sold" sign. Yet. nt

[My Good Babushka]

103. I think it's more about confronting the shortcomings in our food safety system

Really over-processed food is safer than fresh foods because of the additives and cooking processes. Smaller companies that want to compete with fresh options are going to have to take on the burden of inspecting and testing their food, which they may not be able to afford to do, if they want to prove they are safe. Or we are going to have to beef up our inspection process, on a federal and state level, from the farm to the table, if we want fresh options and smaller businesses to be competitive.
Our food system right now is following the path of least resistance, least effort and highest profit margins. It's not really working out for our health, or for our food options.

[Yo_Mama]

105. There's no evidence for this theory and it would be about impossible in practice.

The government has been investigating.

Rather than Chipotle getting "sloppy", the investigative theory is that contamination originated in farms or suppliers - more than one, definitely, and probably the largest shiga-toxin producing E Coli outbreak came from a large supplier.

http://www.foodsafetynews.com/2015/12/a-timeline-of-chipotles-five-outbreaks/#.VobMAFJoRL8

Chipotle is revising its procedures so that it has more centralized food processing and a better tracking system so that they can more easily find sources of contamination, plus it is implementing batch testing for contamination.

When you come up with a theory like this you should have SOMETHING to support it. You don't, apparently.

http://www.cdc.gov/ecoli/2015/o26-11-15/index.html

An excellent article covering the extent of the outbreaks and some of the issues:
http://www.bloomberg.com/features/2015-chipotle-food-safety-crisis/