Everything we know about McDonald’s E.coli outbreak after 50 people fall ill
Jessica Kwong and Brooke Davies
A McDonald's Quarter Pounder hamburger with cheese and onions sits on top of its box
McDonald’s Quarter Pounder hamburgers have made people sick in 10 US states (Picture: Shutterstock)
McDonald’s Quarter Pounder hamburgers have been linked to an E. coli outbreak that has killed one and infected nearly 50 others in the US.
The burgers and fresh onions have been taken off menus due the outbreak, with ten cases being hospitalised and one person dying.
Cases can cause serious stomach problems, and health officials are scrambling to get to the bottom of the outbreak.
Here is what we know so far.
How large is the outbreak?
There have been 49 cases of E. coli possibly from the popular fast food chain’s Quarter Pounders, including 10 hospitalizations, across 10 states.
But the majority of cases have been concentrated in Colorado and Nebraska so far.
One child is in hospital with hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS), which can cause kidney failure.
‘This is a fast-moving outbreak investigation,’ stated the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) on Tuesday.
‘Most sick people are reporting eating Quarter Pounder hamburgers from McDonald’s and investigators are working quickly to confirm which food ingredient is contaminated.’
A McDonald's Double Quarter Pounder burger with cheese, french fries potatoes and drink
A McDonald’s Double Quarter Pounder burger with cheese, french fries potatoes and drink (Picture: Shutterstock)
As of Wednesday, about a dozen people who are infected said they had eaten a quarter pounder before contracting the illness.
What is the source of the outbreak?
Which specific ingredient made people ill has not yet been determined, and the company is cooperating in the investigation launched on Tuesday to figure that out.
But investigators are eyeing up the possibility it was onions which have caused the contaminations.
All of the stores involved use a single supplier on onions, identified as Taylor farms in California.
The company, which is one of the world’s largest vegetable processors, has issued a recall of some of their onion batches out of caution.
They told CBS News they had conducted tests on their raw onions and ‘found no traces of E.coli’.
The CDC and FDA have also said they have not ruled out whether the beef patties are to blame.
The exterior of a McDonald's restaurant shows the golden arches sign and an empty parking lot
McDonald’s restaurants in some states have temporarily stopped selling Quarter Pounder hamburgers (Picture: Getty Images)
But the chain restaurant said they cook their burgers at 175 degrees, which is above the 160 degree level to kill e.coli bacteria.
‘McDonald’s stopped using fresh slivered onions and quarter pound beef patties in several states while the investigation is ongoing to identify the ingredient causing illness,’ stated the CDC.
Because the cases have been reported across different stores, it is unlikely food preparation is to blame.
In the meantime, McDonald’s in stop states will temporarily stop selling Quarter Pounders.
What are the symptoms of E.coli poisoning?
The CDC recommends people contact their healthcare providers if they ate a Quarter Pounder and experience severe E. coli symptoms including diarrhea for more than three days without improvement, bloody diarrhea and a fever over 102 degrees Fahrenheit.
Other severe symptoms include vomiting liquids, dehydration including dry throat and mouth, and dizziness while standing.
E. coli symptoms usually start three to four days after consuming the bacteria. Most people recover after five to seven days without receiving treatment. However, some people can develop serious kidney issues and require hospitalization.
Katie Martinelli, a food hygiene expert at training company High Speed Training, said: ‘E. coli – full name Escherichia coli – is a type of bacteria that’s usually found in the intestines of humans and animals. Most strains of E. coli are harmless to people but others can cause serious gastrointestinal illness – or food poisoning.
‘E. coli can be contagious and spread from person-to-person or from animal-to-person. Most foodborne E.coli is caused by one particular strain that is likely to develop on food products in the temperature danger zone, between 8 °C and 60 °C.’
What Can Cause an E. coli Infection?
E. coli originates in the intestines of humans and animals – most commonly cattle – and causes food poisoning when a person consumes food or drink contaminated with the bacteria.
E. coli infections are often caused by:
Eating contaminated food – in particular, unwashed raw vegetables, salad and fruit, or undercooked meat.
Drinking contaminated water – if the water supply has been inadequately treated, then E. coli bacteria may remain. This includes water for drinking or water used for cooking.
Touching infected animals – cattle are particularly susceptible to E. coli bacteria and people can catch E. coli by touching them or coming into contact with their faeces.
Touching infected people – E. coli can be spread by coming into contact with people who already have E. coli food poisoning.
Contaminated surfaces – improper handwashing, especially after using the toilet and after handling muddy vegetables, can easily cause cross-contamination.
Undercooked meat – specifically undercooked beef products, such as burgers.
How to Prevent an E. coli Infection
Following good hygiene and safety practices such as the ones below will help you to prevent E. coli exposure:
How to Prevent an E. coli Infection
Following good hygiene and safety practices such as the ones below will help you to prevent E. coli exposure:
How to Prevent an E. coli Infection
Following good hygiene and safety practices such as the ones below will help you to prevent E. coli exposure:
Wash your hands properly
Wash vegetables, salad and fruit thoroughly
Keep raw meat separate from cooked food
Cook food thoroughly
Store food correctly
Avoid unpasteurised or untreated liquids
Keep your kitchen clean
Pay attention to use-by dates
Defrost foods safely
Never prepare or handle food if you’re ill
What have McDonalds said?
McDonald’s has said: ‘Across the McDonald’s System, serving customers safely in every single restaurant, each and every day, is our top priority and something we’ll never compromise on.
‘The initial findings from the investigation indicate that a subset of illnesses may be linked to slivered onions used in the Quarter Pounder and sourced by a single supplier that serves three distribution centers.
‘As a result, and in line with our safety protocols, all local restaurants have been instructed to remove this product from their supply and we have paused the distribution of all slivered onions in the impacted area.
More Trending
zone post image for post 21844735
First picture of shop worker who died inside walk-in oven
How the Menendez brothers murder case unfolded after huge new release twist
Boy, 14, killed himself after 'falling in love' with AI Daenerys Targaryen chatbot
Woman's body found stuffed in trash can in her boyfriend's backyard
Read More Stories
‘Out of an abundance of caution, we are also temporarily removing the Quarter Pounder from restaurants in the impacted areas.
‘We take food safety extremely seriously and it’s the right thing to do.
‘We will continue to work with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and are committed to providing timely updates as we restore our full menu.’
The McDonald’s E. coli outbreak comes just weeks after nearly 10million pounds of meat in frozen dinners and pre-packaged salads were recalled by the US Department of Agriculture for possible listeria contamination. The affected products were sold by distributors like Trader Joe’s, Amazon Fresh, Kroger and Jenny Craig.
Welcome to Billionaire Club Co LLC, your gateway to a brand-new social media experience! Sign up today and dive into over 10,000 fresh daily articles and videos curated just for your enjoyment. Enjoy the ad free experience, unlimited content interactions, and get that coveted blue check verification—all for just $1 a month!
Account Frozen
Your account is frozen. You can still view content but cannot interact with it.
Please go to your settings to update your account status.
Open Profile Settings