FAST-FOOD CHAIN TO PAY FOR HOSPITAL EXPENSES

                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: MONDAY, February 1, 1993                   TAG: 9302010104
SECTION: NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL                    PAGE: A2   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: Associated Press
DATELINE: SEATTLE                                LENGTH: Short
FAST-FOOD CHAIN TO PAY FOR HOSPITAL EXPENSES
The Jack in the Box fast-food chain will pay hospitalization costs for any customers who became ill with E. coli bacterial disease after eating hamburgers at the restaurant, the company said Sunday.
"We are committed to meeting all of our responsibilities in connection with this devastating situation," said Robert Nugent, president and chief operating officer for the firm. "We are prepared to pay all hospital costs for our customers who have been affected by this tragedy."
The assistance would be given "with no strings attached," including no restrictions on future actions that individuals would take, Nugent said in a news release.
At least one child has died since the outbreak of the disease linked to bacteria in undercooked hamburgers served at the chain, and more than 300 people have become ill in Washington state, Idaho and Nevada. Another child died last week but her death has not been linked to Jack in the Box hamburgers.
Jack in the Box has increased cooking times to exceed all state and federal regulations, checked all its grills to ensure they are operating at the proper temperature of 375 degrees and retrained all grill personnel to make sure that patties are thoroughly cooked, the news release said.
Last week, Agriculture Secretary Mike Espy said the Food and Drug Administration is recommending that all states raise the minimum cooking temperature for beef to 155 degrees.

by Archana Subramaniam by CNB