The Los Amigos Taqueria in Brighton, a neighborhood in Boston, has been closed down due to to the possibility it is linked to a salmonella outbreak. This came following complaints of illnesses after eating food bought from the restaurant. The number of illnesses remains unclear, but the health department’s investigation is ongoing. Los Amigos has at least five locations.
The Boston Public Health Commission, the Massachusetts Department of Health, and the Boston Inspectional Services Department investigated the restaurant after receiving multiple reports of illnesses. They suspended the restaurant’s health permit after inspectors found health violations which included mold and other unclean substances on surfaces.
The restaurant posted a hand-written note stating it was “Closed” and stating “Sorry.”
Customers were disappointed and upset about the closing and the uncleanliness of the food they were eating. One patron told a local news station: “This is brutal, not a good look at all.”
Another Los Amigos Taqueria in West Roxbury was also found to have critical health violations. Rodent droppings were found on food and drink containers, as well as food ingredients. Inspectors also found that food was being kept at improper temperatures, and workers were preparing food without gloves and/or without washing their hands. This location has also been closed down. This restaurant chain has three other locations.
The health department recommends any customers who ate at the Los Amigos Taqueria between the dates of Friday, May 12, and Thursday, May 18th to be aware and watch for any symptoms of salmonellosis. According to the CDC, salmonella symptoms usually lasts for 7 days to two weeks, but is serious cases, even longer. Symptoms include: diarrhea, bloody stool, fever, stomach cramps, vomiting, and dehydration. If symptoms last longer than a few days or begin to escalate, many health experts suggest victims contact a doctor and have a stool culture performed.
If you or someone you know is experiencing symptoms of a Salmonella infection, contact your doctor immediately. Often, symptoms will persist for about a week but can remain for longer periods of time and can even be life-threatening. Proper diagnosis (through a stool culture) can help public officials track an outbreak and prevent other people from becoming ill.
Aa one food poisoning lawyer has stated: “Many food poisoning outbreaks occur simply because restaurants fail to keep their kitchens clean and sanitary. Strick rules and proper food manufacturing standards are there to protect people. When those standards are relaxed and people get ill, that is when we step in to protect them.”
