Business
Initial information analyzed by the FDA showed that uncooked sliced onions used on hamburgers “are a likely source of contamination,” the agency said.
A McDonald’s Quarter Pounder hamburger and fries are shown in this photo, in Times Square in New York, Wednesday, October 23, 2024. (AP Photo/Richard Drew)
A deadly outbreak of E. coli poisoning linked to McDonald’s Quarter Pounders has expanded, with at least 75 people sickened in 13 states, federal health officials said Friday.
A total of 22 people were hospitalized and two developed a dangerous complication of kidney disease, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said. One person has died in Colorado.
No definitive source of the outbreak has been identified, U.S. Food and Drug Administration officials said. Initial information analyzed by the FDA showed that uncooked sliced onions used on hamburgers “are a likely source of contamination,” the agency said.
McDonald’s confirmed that Taylor Farms, a California-based produce company, was the supplier of the fresh onions used in restaurants involved in the outbreak and that they came from a facility in Colorado Springs, Colorado.
“We have made the decision to cease sourcing onions from Taylor Farms’ Colorado Springs facility indefinitely,” McDonald’s said in a statement released Friday evening.
Taylor Farms said Friday that it has preemptively recalled yellow onions sent to customers from its Colorado facilities and continues to work with the CDC and FDA as part of their investigation.
“It saddens us to see the illnesses and individuals and families affected” by the epidemic, the family business said.
McDonald’s removed the Quarter Pounder burger from menus in several states — primarily in the Midwest and Mountain states — when the outbreak was announced Tuesday. McDonald’s said Friday that sliced onions from its Colorado Springs facility had been distributed to about 900 of its restaurants, including some in transportation hubs like airports.
The new cases reported Friday represent a sharp increase from the initial tally of 49 across 10 states. Most of the illnesses were reported in Colorado, with 26 cases. At least 13 people have fallen ill in Montana, 11 in Nebraska, 5 in New Mexico and Utah, 4 in Missouri and Wyoming, two in Michigan and one each in Iowa, Kansas, Oregon, Wisconsin and Washington state, the CDC reported.
McDonald’s said Friday it has not removed the Quarter Pounder from any additional restaurants due to the CDC’s increasing illness numbers. The company noted that some cases in states outside the original region were travel-related.
The CDC said some people who became ill reported traveling to other states before their symptoms appeared. At least three people reported eating at McDonald’s during their trip. Illnesses were reported between September 27 and October 11.
Taylor Farms informed its customers directly about the onion recall, but did not tell the public about it, an FDA official said. Companies often issue press releases and the FDA sends public recall notifications, but this is not required.
Although it is unclear whether the recalled onions were the cause of the outbreak, several other fast food restaurants – including Taco Bell, Pizza Hut, KFC and Burger King – have removed onions from certain menus in some locations. regions this week.
Restaurant Brands International, owner of Burger King, said 5% of its restaurants use whole onions distributed by Taylor Farms’ Colorado facility. They are washed, peeled and sliced by employees.
Although it was not contacted by health authorities and there were no signs of illness, Restaurant Brands said it asked restaurants that received onions from the Colorado facility to dispose of them .
The outbreak involves infections with E. coli 0157:H7, a type of bacteria that produces a dangerous toxin. It causes about 74,000 infections each year in the United States, leading to more than 2,000 hospitalizations and 61 deaths each year, according to the CDC.
People who got sick from the outbreak have already decided to sue McDonald’s, according to court records. According to her lawsuit, Clarissa DeBock ate food at a local McDonald’s in Nebraska on September 18, became ill on September 23, and sought emergency care two days later before being diagnosed with an E. coli.
Symptoms of E. coli poisoning can occur quickly, within a day or two after eating contaminated food. They usually include fever, vomiting, diarrhea or bloody diarrhea and signs of dehydration – little or no urine, increased thirst and dizziness. The infection is particularly dangerous for children under 5 years old, the elderly, pregnant women or those with weakened immune systems.
AP business reporter Dee-Ann Durbin contributed reporting from Detroit.
The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Science and Education Media Group. The AP is solely responsible for all content.
