The number of E. coli cases linked to McDonald’s Quarter Pounders has risen to 90, with the likely source being slivered onions used on the burgers, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. McDonald’s has pulled all affected Quarter Pounders from restaurants in affected states, with the CDC stating that the risk to the public is now very low. One person has died in the outbreak and 27 have been hospitalized, with at least two developing a rare kidney illness. A family in Grand Junction, Colorado, shared that their 15-year-old daughter developed kidney damage after consuming Quarter Pounders from McDonald’s. Thirteen states have reported cases linked to the outbreak, with the FDA identifying the slivered onions supplied by Taylor Farms Colorado Springs as the likely source of contamination. McDonald’s has stopped sourcing onions from the company indefinitely and will be selling Quarter Pounders without onions in affected stores. Other restaurant chains in Colorado have also removed onions from their menus as a precaution. Despite the outbreak, there are no signs of people getting E. coli after eating at those restaurants. It is likely that the true number of cases is higher than reported, as many people with E. coli infections are not tested and recover on their own.
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CDC Identifies Slivered Onions as Probable Source of E. coli Outbreak at McDonald’s, Cases Increase to 90
