Ninety people in 13 states have been ill due to an E. coli outbreak linked to sliced onions used in McDonald’s Quarter Pounders. As a precaution, McDonald’s and other fast-food restaurants have taken the impacted onions off their menus.
An E. coli incident linked to McDonald’s Quarter Pounders has been linked to fresh sliced onions, according to federal health regulators.
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) report that this outbreak has caused 90 illnesses in 13 states, 27 hospitalizations, and one fatality.
McDonald’s stopped using sliced onions from Taylor Farms, the provider of the tainted fruit, when the outbreak was initially looked at in late October.
McDonald’s has since started serving Quarter Pounders at the 900 impacted locations, however without the recalled onions after the onions were quickly recalled.
Since all implicated onions have been removed from McDonald’s and other fast-food companies like Burger King, Taco Bell, Pizza Hut, and KFC have taken similar steps, the CDC has reassured the public that the danger is still low.
McDonald’s beef patties were also under examination, however tests showed that the Quarter Pounder beef had nothing to do with the incident.
The recalled onions haven’t been sold directly to customers or spotted in supermarkets as of this week, which has limited the outbreak’s reach.
As they continue to keep an eye on the situation, federal health officials have cautioned customers not to completely avoid items made with onions, but to stay informed.
