'Serious' E. Coli Outbreak At Taco Bell Contained

December 5th, 2006

New York, NY - Taco Bell has closed four restaurants in New York as a precautionary measure after a "a serious outbreak" at one of its New Jersey stores sickened nearly a dozen people.

Taco Bell has closed four restaurants in New York as a precautionary measure after a a serious outbreak at one of its New Jersey stores sickened nearly a dozen people.

Taco Bell said it was sanitizing the restaurants and replacing all the food ingredients before reopening the fast-food outlets.

Yum Brands Inc. on Tuesday said a strain of E. coli that is suspected to have sickened a number of people in the Northeast is no longer in any of its Taco Bell restaurants.

Middlesex County's health director, David Papi, said 11 of the victims ate at a Taco Bell in South Plainfield, N.J., while two others ate at Taco Bell restaurants in Edison, N.J., and Franklin Township, N.J.

The company said health officials have indicated there was no immediate threat and no new cases since November 29. Taco Bell said it was sanitizing the restaurants and replacing all the food ingredients before reopening the fast-food outlets.

On Sunday Taco Bell said it had closed a restaurant in New Jersey and was working with health officials seeking the cause of an E.coli outbreak. The source was not determined but a Taco Bell restaurant where nine of the victims ate was suspected.