The CDC added that out of 52 people infected, 47 reported eating at a Chipotle restaurants a week before the illness started.
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The restaurant chain said that it is continuing to work with federal, state and local health officials to investigate the outbreak. (NYSE:CMG)’s share price traded down 3.1% during trading on Friday after Deutsche Bank lowered their price target on the stock from $710.00 to $525.00, AnalystRatings.NET reports.
But the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said in a statement that “preliminary laboratory evidence indicates that a celery and onion diced blend produced by Taylor Farms Pacific Inc. may be contaminated with E. coli O157:H7”.
In October, the company had forecast that sales at established locations would be up in the low- to mid-single-digit percentages for 2015.
Illinois, Pennsylvania and Maryland have reported E. Coli cases, bringing the state list to nine involved the Chipotle outbreak.
The company noted in an SEC filing that sales have fluctuated a great deal along with developments in the E. coli outbreak – falling when stores closed, but rebounding when they reopen.
Until now, after all the effort exerted by different agencies, it has not yet been confirmed as to what ingredient is the source of this outbreak. Symptoms of the Shiga toxin-producing E. coli, including sometimes-bloody diarrhea and cramps, usually strike three to four days after ingesting the bacteria. It sees non-recurring expenses in Q4 between $6 million and $8 million and diluted earnings per share in a range of $2.45 to $2.85.
The company said it was also pulling its comparable sales outlook for 2016 because of the recent sales trends and uncertainty related to the outbreak.
Chipotle Mexican Grill, Inc., together with its subsidiaries, develops and operates fast-casual and fresh Mexican food restaurants.
Though the investigations are still going on to find out which specific food is linked to illness, but CDC epidemiologist, who is leading the investigation revealed in an interview that “probably it isn’t a meat” because numerous people who were infected by food poisoning were vegetarians. It said it will implement testing of all produce before it is shipped to restaurants and enhance employee training for food safety and handling.
“In testing for pathogens, in many ways you’re looking for needles in haystacks”.
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It said that no ingredients that are likely to have been connected to the incident remain in its restaurants or supply system. Its shares have dropped 25 percent since mid-October.
