In an attempt to improve the public image of the restaurant chain, Steve Ells, the co- Chief Executive Officer and founder of Chipotle Mexican Grill, has issued the first apology on television to patrons who were sickened after eating at the company’s restaurants in different states.

In a statement, Ells said that the company is ‘deeply sorry’ about those loyal people who eat at the chain in recent weeks and fell ill. While apologizing on behalf of the Denver headquartered restaurant company, the 49-year-old Chipotle said that the company is working to implement new policies.

In an interview with Today show, Ells said it was painful to see people felling ill after eating at Chipotle. The patrons may be having tough time, and the company feels terrible about that, Ells added. He also promised to tighten food safety procedures to make sure that such incidents will not happen in future.

While Ells was apologizing for the outbreak, Boston College issued a statement where it increased the numbers of affected students who were sickened after eating at Chipotle. The college said that new numbers are 141.

A report of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention states, “At least 52 people in nine states have been sickened in an E. coli outbreak, with 47 of them having eaten at Chipotle. The most recent case happened November 13”.

Investigators are still trying to find the ingredient that sickened the Chipotle customers. The company claimed that the source was out of its restaurants.