Produce eyed as possible source of E. coli outbreak in Denver
Produce eyed as possible source of E. coli outbreak in Denver
The Colorado Department of Public Health & Environment, in cooperation with the U.S. Centers for Disease Control & Prevention and the Food & Drug Administration, is investigating potential links to an E. coli outbreak in Denver. The investigation is focusing on three Jimmy John's restaurants in the metropolitan area.
Eight people reported being sickened after eating at the sandwich shops in early October. Additional cases have been reported, and at least one person has been hospitalized.
Alicia Cronquist, a CDPHE epidemiologist, said there have been no food-handling issues identified at the current time, and the specific locations have not been disclosed as a result.
Jimmy John's is cooperating with the investigation.
In a Nov. 4 statement carried on its website, Jimmy John's carried further comments from Cronquist regarding the situation. "Our leading hypothesis for what's happened is that there was a contaminated produce item that was distributed to the stores," she said.
FDA is conducting tests at these locations, all of which remain open.