McDonald’s Quarter Pounders Linked to Deadly E. Coli Outbreak: CDC

A sign in front of a McDonald's restaurant in Pittsburgh on April 23, 2022. Gene J. Puskar/AP Photo

McDonald’s has announced that it is temporarily pulling its Quarter Pounder hamburger from menus in multiple states following a deadly E. coli outbreak that health authorities have traced to the product.

The decision, announced by McDonald’s USA President Joe Erlinger in a video message on Oct. 22, was made after initial investigations suggested that slivered onions used in the Quarter Pounder might be the source of the outbreak, which the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has linked to 49 infections across 10 states, including one death.

Erlinger said that McDonald’s has taken steps to remove slivered onions that are used in Quarter Pounders from select states and that the company has also temporarily removed the Quarter Pounder from menus in some regions.

“The decision to do this is not one we take lightly, and it was made in close consultation with the CDC,” Erlinger said, adding that other beef products are not affected. “This is a temporary change as the investigation continues and we are working quickly to return our full menu in these states as soon as possible.”

Cesar Piña, McDonald’s North America Chief Supply Chain Officer, said in a statement that the Quarter Pounder is being pulled from menus in restaurants in the impacted area, including Colorado, Kansas, Utah, and Wyoming—as well as parts of Idaho, Iowa, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Mexico, and Oklahoma.

“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,” Piña said. “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.

“We take food safety extremely seriously and it’s the right thing to do.”

The outbreak has led to ten hospitalizations and one death, according to the CDC. Symptoms of E. coli infections typically include severe stomach cramps, diarrhea (often bloody), and vomiting, usually beginning 3–4 days after exposure. Most people recover within a week, but severe cases can result in hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS), a potentially life-threatening condition that causes kidney failure.

The CDC is advising individuals who consumed a Quarter Pounder and are experiencing symptoms such as bloody diarrhea, fever over 102°F, or dehydration, to seek immediate medical attention.

“This is a fast-moving outbreak investigation,” the CDC said in a statement, noting that McDonald’s is collaborating with authorities and acting “proactively” to address the outbreak by halting deliveries of slivered onions and quarter-pound beef patties in several states.

The CDC, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service are working alongside state health departments to identify the precise source of contamination.

Further updates are expected as the investigation continues.