King County Public Health is investigating an E. coli outbreak after finding multiple cases stemming from the Los Chilangos food truck and shutting down the shared facility in Bellevue used to prepare it’s and other food trucks’ food.
“Public Health is currently investigating an outbreak of E. coli O157 – one of the most serious foodborne illnesses you can contract,” Public Health spokesperson Lindsay Bosslet said in a community post online. “Our thoughts are with the families affected by this outbreak, and we appreciate the support of the community as we work to protect the health of the public.”
At this time, there have been six confirmed cases of E. coli, and a potential link to the Los Chilangos food truck is being investigated. Three people have been hospitalized.
Los Chilangos’ Bellevue and other locations were recently closed by the Public Health department. Los Chilangos serves food at seven farmers markets in King and Snohomish Counties, operates two food trucks, and also caters events.
Public Health allowed Los Chilangos to reopen on Sept. 2, and the food truck began serving Bellevue customers the next day.
The now-shuttered food truck is one of many mobile food vendors that use the Eastside Commercial Kitchen, located at 12890 N.E. 15th Pl. in Bellevue, which was ordered not to operate under a cease and desist order from a Public Health officer on Aug. 27.
The officer found inadequate facilities to control temperature of potentially hazardous food, inadequate facilities to properly wash and sanitize equipment. The site is also currently part of an ongoing investigation of a possible foodborne illness outbreak. Continued operation of the facility constitutes an imminent health hazard, the officer found.
“Because that site does share some equipment between vendors, we closed it down and we’re investigating,” Bosslet told the Reporter.
The Kitchen is a commissary facility used by food vendors permitted by the Public Health department. According to the report, all of the food vendors currently known to Public Health that use Eastside Commercial Kitchen have been told to cease using this facility.
The vendors include Mo’ Pockets, Cheweya, La Riviera, Buns, Panchitos, Kalinka, and Jai Balaji. All are food trucks, and used the location to prepare food for sale across Bellevue and other communities.
Inspection records show that one of the Buns mobile units received a few minor health code violations on Aug. 7 to be lacking adequate handwashing facilities and properly used, stored and sanitized wiping cloths, but did not require re-inspection or closure. Recent inspections on La Riviera Maya and Panchitos were satisfactory.
King County Public Health says they are aiding the food vendors impacted by the commissary closure to identify new commissaries and resume operations with as little delay as possible.
Kukai Ramen uses this commissary but also has its own stand-alone restaurant. Public Health says they are working with Kukai Ramen to assure that no food prepared in the commissary is served at their restaurants.
Simply Delicious also uses the commissary, but is reportedly operating without a required permit from Washington State Department of Agriculture.
While the outbreak is investigated, King County Public Health recommends the public continue to practice good food safety, including washing hands and cleaning work surfaces and cooking food to a proper temperature.
More information can be found at http://publichealthinsider.com/2015/09/01/public-health-investigates-e-coli/.
