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Water Cooler: News And Views

Hepatitis A Outbreak

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Hepatitis A Outbreak

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Discussion Started: 11-17-2003, 11:44 AM

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The recent hepatitis A outbreak in Beaver County has raised several issues from food safety to the public health response. This outbreak has claimed the lives of three people. Local businesses have been affected in several ways.

What are your concerns and thoughts about this outbreak?

View Messages: [newest first] | [oldest first]

suki2001

11-28-2003, 1:28 PM

mel

We do not use the same supplier as the beaver valley store. The other states where not Chi Chi's I don't have an answer for that question. No we do not use veggies from Mexico.Any other questions please post

melgoodnes

11-26-2003, 11:14 AM

suki2001, your post sounds like you're at least a manager, perhaps owner of a local Chi Chi's. If so, I do feel bad for the way this has destroyed your business, but I hope you can understand that until we have more answers, we will be scared.

1 - How is it that just this one local Chi Chi's got the tainted onions? Don't you use the same distributors?

2 - How did some other tainted onions end up in other states?

3 - Do you know how the onions got infected?

4 - Are you still using any vegetables from Mexico? If so, how do you know they are safe?

I have no doubt that Chi Chi's has high sanitary standards. Unfortunately, the fact that there's no way to check for the virus on fresh produce just makes us more cautious. Until these questions can be answered, many of us won't feel safe. Are you close to having answers for these important questions?

-mel

suki2001

11-25-2003, 8:42 PM

Again, Chi Chi's employees were not responsible for the outbreak. And As many of you may know there is NO detector to indicate to restaurants that something has Hep A. We take every precaution that we can to insure that It does not happen. We wash all off our veggies. But in a case like this with Green Onions it is impossible to get rid of that virus. Yes 3 people did die from it and we feel for thier family's It was not intentional at all. You can get Hep A any where that you eat you can get it at your house. I think everyone should not be afraid of anymore Hep A outbreaks at any other Chi Chi's. We no longer use Green Onions as a precautionary Measure. Please give our Pittsburgh Locations another try. We are commited to Food Safety. And again Chi Chi's had no way to tell that the green onions were infected. Thank You

b842001

11-24-2003, 9:00 PM

IF THE GREAT GOVERNMENT WOULD PUT A STOP TO IMPORTING FOOD FROM MEXICO WHERE FECAL MATTER IS USED AS FERTIIZER THIS WOULD HAVE NEVER HAPPENED, WHY WOULD FOOD BE ALLOWED TO BE BROUGHT FROM A PLACE WHERE IT IS NOT EVEN SAFE TO DRINK THE WATER?

melgoodnes

11-24-2003, 9:59 AM

This story is national news. Drive past any Chi Chi's parking lot -- they're empty, and I don't blame people for not going. This wasn't some simple food poisoning where you puke for a few hours and get over it. This is a serious illness.

Personally, I want to know how it was just this one Chi Chi's that got the tainted onions. If it were just a few onions that were the carriers, then how did 500+ people get sick? If it was a lot of onions, then how did they all end up only at this one location here and two or three other restaurants (not Chi Chi's as far as we know) out of state?

I don't blame people for being cautious. This investigation is far from over in my opinion. Until you can answer those questions and tell me how the virus got on the onions, I'm going to think twice about where I'm eating dinner. Since there have been no secondary cases reported, it seems that this is not easily spread from person to person. Was this deliberate? Was this preventable?

I have been out to restaurants since this outbreak, but I don't know that I'll ever go back into a Chi Chi's unless they start buying 100% of their food from America where we have more control over the process.

Who knows what they're doing in Mexico? How does the hepatitis virus get onto a green onion? How can we be sure it won't happen again?

-mel

InMyOp

11-21-2003, 9:32 PM

suki2001: I work for Chi CHi's and they have the highest standards for food safety.I have worked in serveral other Restaurants and none of them compare to Chi Chi's. It was an isolated Incident. And Everyone should feel safe eating at Chi Chi's.

InMyOp: Apparently their standards were not high enough with regards to the Beaver Mall Hepatitis outbreak. And, how many of those other restaurants that you have worked at have had a hepatitis outbreak? No thank you, I'll pass eating at any Chi Chi's. Three people lost their lives and over 500 are infected, again, I'll pass, my life is worth a lot more than anything Chi Chi's has to offer.

What really upsets me other than the loss of life is the fact that Chi Chi's has to have their green onions imported from Mexico...the Pittsburgh area is surrounded by farmlands that I'm sure could provide the same green onions probably at the same cost or even lower...believe me, they're one of the cheapest veggies to plant, grow and harvest and I believe it's time that these franchised restarants who use fresh produce, should start getting it from local producers instead of from other countries!

...And, that's all I have to say!

johnmorgan

11-21-2003, 5:23 PM

Are we to believe that a farm in Mexico grows and supplies onions to only the Beaver Valley Mall Chi-Chi's and no others?

rjmjr

11-21-2003, 2:25 PM

Isn't NAFTA great? Shipping jobs to Mexico and letting their unsafe trucks and food come into this country! Thanks again to our wonderful politicians.

Vickiefrat

11-21-2003, 1:41 PM

I would like to suggest that all eating facilities have the little wipes handy for their patrons. I would give it to them before meals. Given after the meal is fine, but it should be done before meals. It may have a small cost to the owner of the facility, but what is that compared to a life. THINK ABOUT IT. This is only a small suggestion, but I would hope a good one.

sincerely, Vickie

ENNERY

11-20-2003, 1:10 PM

ISOLATED INCIDENT? 540 PEOPLE INFECTED AND 3 DEAD? HEY SUKI, WHAT IF THAT WERE YOUR FAMILY MEMBERS OR LOVED ONES? NO WAY ILL EVER EAT THAT SLOP, AND IM ADVISING OTHERS TO STEER CLEAR OF THAT NASTY PLACE

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