Full Breakdown
Texas Woman Sues Torchy’s Tacos Over Cow Tooth Found in Taco
By Drooid · · How we work
Core Incident
On June 9, Nohemi Castillo was eating a “Democrat” taco—containing beef barbacoa, avocado, cotija cheese, cilantro and diced onions—at Torchy’s Tacos’ South Congress Avenue location (1822 S. Congress Ave., Austin). While chewing, she discovered an object she identified as a tooth. The incident left her “grossed out and sickened,” and she sought medical care that evening, receiving prescriptions.
Timeline
- June 9 – Castillo discovers the tooth while eating the taco.
- October 2026 – KVUE reports the discovery and the ensuing lawsuit.
- October (same year) – Castillo files a lawsuit in Travis County District Court alleging negligence and violations of the Texas Deceptive Trade Practices Act and federal food-safety rules.
Legal Claims
The complaint names Torchy’s Tacos and its parent, Success Foods Management Group (doing business as Torchy’s Tacos), as defendants. It alleges:
- Failure to properly prepare, inspect, and distribute the food.
- Inadequate monitoring of the meat supplier that provides the natural beef cheek used in the barbacoa.
- Breach of implied warranties that food sold is fit for consumption.
- Violations of the Texas Deceptive Trade Practices Act and applicable federal food-safety regulations.
Castillo seeks monetary relief of $250,000 or less, with the final amount to be determined by a jury.
Official Statements & Responses
Torchy’s confirmed that the object was a cow tooth. In a statement to Austin TV station KVUE, the chain said its investigation identified the item as a cow tooth and noted that such occurrences can happen “occasionally when processing the meat.” The company added that the barbacoa is made from natural beef cheek sourced from a vendor and that it has taken steps to prevent similar incidents.
Criticism & Opposition
Vasquez also mentioned that other individuals have reported similar experiences since the story gained media attention, though those accounts have not been independently verified.
Data & Statistics
- The lawsuit seeks up to $250,000 in damages.
- The “Democrat” taco’s barbacoa is prepared from natural beef cheek, a cut that can include small bone fragments such as teeth.
- No independent verification exists for the additional reports of similar incidents mentioned by the plaintiff’s counsel.
Conflicting Reports & Gaps
- The plaintiff’s counsel cites unverified reports of other customers finding similar objects, but no external source has confirmed these claims.
- Torchy’s has not disclosed the identity of the meat supplier, leaving a gap in understanding how the tooth entered the supply chain.
Verbatim Quotes
- “We have partnered with our supplier to reinforce their internal procedures to prevent this from happening in the future,” — Torchy's — Torchy’s