McDonald’s E. coli outbreak: US health officials blame onions as cases rise to 90

McDonald’s has announced a recall of raw, slivered onions linked to an E. coli outbreak that has sickened 90 individuals across 13 states and resulted in one death. The outbreak, which has prompted federal investigations, has raised concerns over the safety of the popular fast-food chain’s menu items.
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has identified the onions as the likely source of the contamination, noting that the affected produce was supplied by California-based Taylor Farms. The company has initiated a voluntary recall of the yellow onions distributed to McDonald’s and various other restaurant chains.
As of this week, the number of hospitalisations has increased to 27, with affected individuals experiencing severe gastrointestinal symptoms. Investigators report that over 80% of those interviewed consumed McDonald’s items containing the contaminated onions.
In response to the outbreak, McDonald’s has temporarily removed Quarter Pounders from menus in several locations and is closely monitoring the situation. The chain plans to resume serving these hamburgers after testing confirmed that the beef patties are not linked to the E. coli strain.
E. coli infections can cause serious health complications, and health officials stress the importance of food safety. While the FDA has indicated that the immediate risk of illness is low due to the recall, they said that all reported cases occurred before the onions were taken off the market.