'Eating Defensively' To Reduce Your Risk Of Foodborne Illness

05:23

December 22, 2015

A man walks near a closed Chipotle restaurant on Monday, Dec. 7, 2015, in the Cleveland Circle neighborhood of Boston. Chipotle said late Monday that it closed the restaurant after several students at Boston College, including members of the mens basketball team, reported gastrointestinal symptoms after eating at the chain. The school said it was working with local health officials to determine the cause of the illness. (Steven Senne/AP)

It has been a rough few months for Chipotle. Five more people have gotten sick with E-coli after eating at two different Chipotle restaurants - one in Kansas and Oklahoma - the CDC said this week. Since September, hundreds of people across the country have gotten sick after eating at the chain, from e-coli, Salmonella and Norovirus.

But how common are large outbreaks of foodborne illness, and is there any real way to avoid them? Here & Now's Jeremy Hobson talks to food safety lawyer Bill Marler.

Guest

Bill Marler, food safety lawyer in Seattle. He tweets @bmarler.

This segment aired on December 22, 2015.