Health officials announced in an Oct. 30 update that the E. coli outbreak linked to onions used in McDonald’s Quarter Pounders has sickened and hospitalized more people, although the new infections are believed to predate recent actions taken by the restaurant chain to remove the onions from food service locations.
“More illnesses have been reported but they are from before McDonald’s and Taylor Farms took action to remove onions from food service locations. Due to the product actions taken by both companies, CDC believes the risk to the public is very low,” the agency said in a statement.
The CDC’s latest update brings the total number of known E. coli cases linked to McDonald’s Quarter Pounders to 90, with 27 hospitalizations and one death.
“This outbreak may not be limited to the states with known illnesses, and the true number of sick people is likely much higher than the number reported,” the CDC said in a statement, in which the agency noted that many people recover from E. coli infections without medical treatment and don’t get tested, so many cases go unreported.
Symptoms of E. coli infections typically include severe stomach cramps, diarrhea (often bloody), and vomiting, usually beginning three to four days after exposure. Most people recover within a week, but severe cases can result in hemolytic uremic syndrome, a potentially life-threatening condition that can cause kidney failure.
The CDC advised people who consumed a McDonald’s Quarter Pounder and are experiencing symptoms such as bloody diarrhea, fever of more than 102 degrees F, or dehydration to seek medical attention immediately.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service carried out an investigation into the source of the outbreak, which did not point to beef patties as the source but rather revealed fresh, slivered onions as the likely culprit, according to the FDA.
Taylor Farms, the supplier of the slivered onions for the affected McDonald’s locations, voluntarily recalled the product, which was also sold to other food service customers.
The FDA said it is working with Taylor Farms and its direct customers to determine whether additional downstream customer recalls are necessary, adding that it is unlikely that the recalled onions were sold to grocery stores or directly to consumers.
“The current risk of illness from E. coli contamination is low because onions have been recalled and should no longer be available,” the FDA stated, echoing the CDC’s position that the risk to public health from the outbreak is low.
The FDA added that, in addition to investigating a Taylor Farms processing center in Colorado, it has begun an investigation into an “onion grower of interest” in Washington state in its search for the source of the outbreak.
McDonald’s has stopped using onions from Taylor Farms in its products, and the company’s CEO has apologized.
“On behalf of the entire system, we are sorry for what our customers have experienced. We offer our sincere and deepest sympathies, and we are committed to making this right.”
