Diner Sues Torchy's Tacos After Finding Cow Tooth in Taco
A Texas woman claims she nearly swallowed a cow tooth found in a takeout taco, leading to a lawsuit seeking up to $250,000.
Nohemi Castillo is suing the Tex-Mex chain Torchy's Tacos after discovering a cow tooth in a "Democrat" taco, which is made with beef cheek, at a South Congress location on June 9. The lawsuit alleges the restaurant negligently sold a product that did not meet food safety standards.
Castillo reported feeling "grossed out and sickened" by the foreign object and sought medical attention that night, where she was prescribed medication, according to the lawsuit obtained by KVUE. The suit claims the manager of the Torchy's location was informed of the discovery, but it is unclear what actions, if any, were taken.
The lawsuit further alleges that Torchy's failed to "properly inspect, prepare, or monitor food and taco meat to prevent foreign objects from entering the food product before placing it into the stream of commerce."
Torchy's confirmed in a statement that the object was identified as a cow tooth. A spokesperson for the restaurant stated that such occurrences "can occasionally happen when processing the meat, though it is quite rare." The company said it has partnered with its supplier to reinforce internal procedures to prevent future incidents. Food safety, the spokesperson added, is a top priority, and the restaurant maintains robust food handling, preparation, and quality control procedures.
Castillo is seeking up to $250,000 in damages, to be determined by a jury. Torchy's Tacos did not immediately respond to requests for comment from The Post.