In Minnesota, Two Burger King Restaurants Closed After Numerous Cases of Salmonella Infection Linked

In Minnesota, two Burger King restaurants were shut down after at least 27 cases of Salmonella infection have been linked.

Very unusual to have a national brand, fast-food burger operation involved in an outbreak.  The article indicates cases since September, with 4 more cases now.  This would tend to indicate more of an environmental point source contamination in the restaurant rather than a particular food (unless the food supplier has a point source environmental contamination issue).

CBS Minnesota Ch 4
http://minnesota.cbslocal.com/2017/12/03/salmonella-burger-king-bemidji/
Salmonella Outbreak Closes 2 Burger Kings In Bemidji [Minnesota]
December 3, 2017 1:13 PM

Study - Restaurant Servers Poor At Communicating Risk of Undercooked Meat

A recent study shows that restaurant servers do a poor job in explaining the risks when customers order undercooked meat, specifically hamburgers.  The majority of servers (77 percent) gave customers unreliable information conveying the risks of undercooked meat.   As we know, raw hamburger can have pathogens such as E. coli STEC and Salmonella.  While it is the consumers choice to buy rare or medium rare hamburgers, they should understand the risk. 

In the end, informing customers helps the restaurant protect themselves from liability.   Just last year, an outbreak in Vermont occurred when a restaurant was purposely selling undercooked hamburgers.  Of course there is the case that was the impetus for enacting the regulation requiring HACCP regulations in meat operations - Jack in the Box.

Meatingplace
http://www.meatingplace.com/Industry/News/Details/70439
Study: Restaurants not good at explaining risks of undercooked meat to customers
By Michael Fielding on 12/9/2016