Chipotle employees all across the country are going through new training on health and safety standards this week.
This comes after the company was plagued with major issues beginning with an E-Coli outbreak in 2015 and continuing with a bacteria sickening nearly 650 people just a few weeks ago in Ohio.
In an email to ABC15, Chief Communications Officer for the restaurant chain Laurie Schawlow wrote, "All Chipotle restaurants in Arizona and across the country are retraining employees this week on our top food safety protocols. These trainings will mostly happen before the restaurants open, and we will not be closing restaurants to conduct the trainings."
The training will also include consistent quizzing of employees on whether they understand what they are being taught.
There are roughly 70,000 employees across nearly 2,500 locations in the United States.
ABC15 looked into health concerns here in the Valley and there were some concerning results.
RELATED: Restaurant Report Card: 19 restaurants fail Valley health inspections
The bacteria in Ohio that was linked to widespread sickness, health officials said, was caused by food being stored at unsafe temperatures. That has been a common theme at the Chipotle restaurant near Scottsdale and Thomas roads.
Just this year, the store had two different priority violations by the Maricopa County Environmental Services Department. They were due to food being served at improper temperatures.
There was another priority violation for cleaning of equipment.
But, to Chipotle's credit, there have been improvements in our state, as well.
For example, in 2017, the Chipotle near Mill Avenue and University Drive had seven priority violations.
This year, they have had none.
To see 2018 data for health violations at other Valley Chipotle locations, click on the interactive map below.
