Onions likely source of E. coli outbreak linked to McDonald’s, federal agencies say; 15 additional cases reported



CNN

Fresh sliced ​​onions served on McDonald’s Quarter Pounders were the likely source of an E. coli outbreak that has led to one death and illness in more than a dozen states, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the US Food and Drug Administration said Wednesday .

Additional cases associated with the outbreak have also been reported, bringing the total number of illnesses to 90 and hospitalizations to 27. However, the CDC notes that the current risk to the public is “very low” since the reported illnesses occurred before the affected onions were removed from food service establishments.

“It is not necessary to avoid eating onions or other foods made with onions,” CDC said.

Last week, supplier Taylor Farms issued a recall of four onion products due to “potential E. coli contamination.” McDonald’s stores in affected areas have temporarily stopped using sliced ​​onions, and other fast food restaurants that received onions from this supplier – including Burger King, Taco Bell, Pizza Hut and KFC – have proactively removed fresh onions from their menus in some places.

It is not likely that the recalled onions went to grocery stores or directly to consumers, the CDC said Wednesday. Diced onions used at McDonald’s have also not been linked to this outbreak, according to the FDA.

Beef patties used at Quarter Pounders were also part of the investigation, which began on October 22. But the Colorado Department of Agriculture said on Sunday that McDonald’s fresh beef patties used for the Quarter Pounder tested negative for E. coli, and the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service said Monday that evidence did not point to ground beef as the likely source of E. coli. outbreak.

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McDonald’s announced Sunday that it would resume selling Quarter Pounders at all restaurants this week, but the 900 restaurants that previously received onions from Taylor Farms would not include onions on those sandwiches.