McDonald's says onions from California-based produce company linked to
deadly E. coli outbreak
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[October 25, 2024]
By JONEL ALECCIA and DEE-ANN DURBIN
A California-based produce company was the source of fresh onions linked
to a deadly E. coli food poisoning outbreak at McDonald’s, officials
with the restaurant chain said Thursday. Meanwhile, other fast-food
restaurants — including Taco Bell, Pizza Hut, KFC and Burger King —
pulled onions from some menus.
McDonald’s officials said that Taylor Farms, of Salinas, California,
sent onions to one distribution facility, which led the fast-food chain
to remove Quarter Pounder hamburgers from restaurants in several states.
McDonald’s didn’t say which facility it was.
An outbreak tied to the burgers has sickened at least 49 people in 10
states, including a person who died, federal health officials have said.
Investigators said they were focused on slivered onions as a potential
source of the infections.
U.S. Foods, a major wholesaler to restaurants across the country, said
Thursday that Taylor Farms had issued a recall this week for peeled
whole and diced yellow onions for potential E. coli contamination. The
recalled onions came from a Taylor Farms facility in Colorado, a U.S.
Foods spokesperson said. But the wholesaler also noted that it wasn’t a
McDonald’s supplier and that its recall didn’t include any products sold
at the fast-food chain’s restaurants.
Taylor Farms did not respond to multiple requests for comment.
Officials with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration did not confirm
that the agency is investigating Taylor Farms. A spokesperson said
Thursday that the agency is “looking at all sources” of the outbreak.
In the meantime, other national restaurant chains temporarily stopped
using fresh onions.
“As we continue to monitor the recently reported E. coli outbreak, and
out of an abundance of caution, we have proactively removed fresh onions
from select Taco Bell, Pizza Hut and KFC restaurants,” Yum Brands said
in a statement.
Louisville, Kentucky-based Yum Brands wouldn’t say where onions were
removed or whether the company uses the same supplier as McDonald’s. Yum
Brands said it will continue to follow guidance from regulators and its
suppliers.
Restaurant Brands International, which owns Burger King, said Thursday
that 5% of its restaurants use onions distributed by Taylor Farms’
Colorado facility. Burger King restaurants get deliveries of whole,
fresh onions and its employees wash, peel and slice them.
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A McDonald's Double Quarter Pounder is shown on March 6, 2018, in
Atlanta. (AP Photo/Mike Stewart, File)
Even though it wasn’t contacted by
health officials and it had no indications of illness, Restaurant
Brands said it asked the restaurants that received onions from the
Colorado facility to dispose of them two days ago. The company said
it’s restocking with onions from other suppliers.
Chipotle said Thursday it doesn’t source onions from Taylor Farms or
us any other ingredients from the Colorado facility.
Onions have been implicated in previous outbreaks. In 2015, Taylor
Farms recalled a celery and onion mix used in Costco chicken salads
after 19 people were sickened with E. coli. Last year, 80 people
were sickened and one died in an outbreak of salmonella poisoning
tied to bagged diced onions from Gills Onions of Oxnard, California.
At least 10 people have been hospitalized in the McDonald’s
outbreak, including a child who suffered a severe kidney disease
complication as a result of the infection. Illnesses were confirmed
between Sept. 27 and Oct. 11, according to the U.S. Centers for
Disease Control and Prevention.
Victims were infected with E. coli 0157:H7, a type of bacteria that
produces a dangerous toxin. It causes about 74,000 infections in the
U.S. annually, leading to more than 2,000 hospitalizations and 61
deaths each year, according to CDC.
A Greeley, Colorado, man is suing McDonald’s after contracting an E.
coli infection. In a lawsuit filed this week, Eric Stelly said he
ate food from local McDonald’s on Oct. 4 and fell ill two days
later. After he sought emergency care, health officials confirmed
his infection was part of the outbreak.
Symptoms occur of E. coli poisoning can occur quickly, within a day
or two of eating contaminated food. They typically include fever,
vomiting, diarrhea or bloody diarrhea and signs of dehydration —
little or no peeing, increased thirst and dizziness. The infection
is especially dangerous for children younger than 5, people who are
elderly, pregnant or who have weakened immune systems.
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