Texas Woman Sues Torchy’s Over Cow Tooth in Taco
Woman sues taco chain after finding cow tooth in meal, claims negligence and choking hazard.
2 min read
A Texas woman is suing the popular taco chain Torchy’s Tacos after allegedly finding a cow’s tooth in her meal, claiming the incident was a result of the restaurant’s negligence. Nohemi Castillo, 30, ordered takeout from Torchy’s South Congress Avenue location in Austin on June 9 and nearly swallowed the tooth, which was found embedded in a ‘Democrat’ taco. The taco, which includes beef barbacoa, avocado, cotija cheese, cilantro, diced onions, and a lime wedge with tomatillo salsa, was not supposed to contain a cow’s tooth.
Legal Action and Medical Concerns
Castillo reported the incident to the manager of the South Congress Torchy’s, but the lawsuit claims it was unclear what, if any, action was taken to address the issue. Castillo, who was “grossed out and sickened” by the discovery, visited a doctor and was prescribed medication. Her attorney, Scott Vasquez, stated that the restaurant did not take the situation seriously and instead attempted to shift blame.
“I thought they’d want to take care of this internally immediately, but apparently not,” Vasquez said. “They felt, in my view, ‘Let’s blame someone else.’” He emphasized that the tooth, which he described as large, poses a significant choking hazard. “It’s large,” Vasquez said. “It could choke someone, it really could.”
Witness Account and Company Response
A witness confirmed the incident, stating that Castillo nearly ate the tooth before pulling it out of her mouth. “As we were eating, I heard an ‘awww!’ When I turned to Nohemi, I saw her pulling something out of her mouth, she said, ‘I think it’s a bone.’”
Torchy’s confirmed that the item found in the taco was indeed a cow’s tooth, attributing the occurrence to rare instances during meat processing. The company stated that it sources high-quality natural beef cheek for its barbacoa and has implemented measures with its supplier to prevent such incidents in the future.
Castillo is seeking $250,000 in damages, alleging that Torchy’s failed to maintain proper food safety standards. The case has drawn attention to the broader issue of food contamination and the importance of stringent quality control in the food industry.
Source: Breitbart
