McDonald’s announced on Thursday that Taylor Farms is the supplier of onions used in their Quarter Pounders, which were removed from the menus in several states due to a deadly E. coli outbreak.
The FDA and CDC have identified slivered onions served on the burgers as the probable source of the contamination. In a customer advisory issued on Wednesday, U.S. Foods, a distributor, informed that Taylor Farms had recalled four raw onion products as a precaution due to potential E. coli contamination. Restaurants were advised to stop using and dispose of the affected products immediately.
Taylor Farms investigations
An FDA representative mentioned on Thursday that the agency is investigating Taylor Farms as the likely source of the E. coli outbreak linked to hamburgers, noting that all possible sources were under consideration.
By Wednesday, at least 49 individuals had fallen ill from E. coli infections tied to the outbreak. One older adult had passed away, and 10 others, including a child with hemolytic uremic syndrome, were hospitalized.
McDonald’s chains remove onions from menus
Several restaurant chains in Colorado, such as Illegal Pete’s and Taco Bell, also removed onions from their menus following the recall. A Yum! Brands spokesperson confirmed that some Pizza Hut and KFC locations had also taken fresh onions off their menus, though no E. coli cases had been linked to these establishments.
Until recently, the origin of McDonald’s onions was unclear, with neither the company nor health officials publicly disclosing the source. However, a McDonald’s spokesperson confirmed on Wednesday that the raw onions were supplied by a single vendor and processed at a single facility. At this facility, the onions are sliced, packaged, and distributed to various restaurants.
McDonald’s facing legal challenge
In the meantime, McDonald’s is facing legal challenges. On Thursday, Ron Simon & Associates, a food safety law firm, filed a second lawsuit, this time on behalf of Clarissa DeBock, a Nebraska resident. DeBock had purchased a Quarter Pounder at a local McDonald’s on September 18 and later became ill, testing positive for E. coli O157:H7, according to the lawsuit.
The firm’s first lawsuit was filed on behalf of Eric Stelly from Colorado, who reported experiencing gastrointestinal issues after consuming a McDonald’s burger. Ron Simon, the firm’s managing partner, mentioned that he now represents 15 families affected by the outbreak, with patients ranging in age from 20 to 60 and residing in different states.
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