Taco Chain Sued for $250,000 After Woman Claims Finding Cow Tooth
A Texas woman alleges she discovered a cow tooth in a taco from Torchy's Tacos and subsequently sought hospital treatment, leading to a lawsuit against the popular chain.
Torchy’s Tacos is facing a $250,000 lawsuit after a woman claimed she found a cow tooth in a takeout taco and nearly swallowed it. The incident occurred on June 9 when Nohemi Castillo was eating a taco from the chain's SoCo neighborhood location in Austin, Texas.
Castillo alleges that the discovery made her ill, prompting her to seek medical attention at a local hospital. According to the lawsuit, she was prescribed medication after feeling "grossed out and sickened." The suit further states that the manager at the Torchy's Tacos location was informed of the situation, but it remains unclear what actions, if any, were taken to address the issue.
The lawsuit claims that Torchy’s, which operates over 115 locations nationwide, was negligent in serving unsafe food. The "Democrat" taco, a menu item that includes beef barbacoa, avocado, cotija cheese, cilantro, diced onions, and tomatillo salsa on a corn tortilla, was the taco in question.
Scott Vasquez, Castillo's attorney, wrote in the lawsuit that "Torchy's tacos knew about various problems contained in their sold food products prior to selling this taco to my client." The suit argues that safety checks should have identified the tooth before it reached the customer.
In response to the allegations, Torchy's Tacos issued a statement acknowledging the situation and emphasizing their commitment to food safety. "We source the highest quality food available, which means our barbacoa comes from natural beef cheek that we source from a supplier," the statement read. "Food safety is a top priority, and we maintain robust food handling, preparation and quality control procedures."
The company confirmed that upon receiving the complaint, they conducted a review and identified the item as a cow tooth. They explained that this "can occasionally happen when processing the meat, though it is quite rare." Torchy's stated they have partnered with their supplier to reinforce internal procedures to prevent future occurrences.
Torchy's Tacos began as a food trailer in Austin 20 years ago and has since expanded to numerous locations across the country. Founder Mike Rypka established the company with the stated goal of serving "the food people deserve."