McDonald's deadly E. coli food poisoning outbreak in US linked to fresh onions

A deadly E. coli food poisoning outbreak at McDonald’s has been linked to fresh onions supplied by a California-based produce company, Taylor Farms, according to officials from the fast-food chain.

In response to the outbreak, other fast-food chains including Taco Bell, Pizza Hut, KFC and Burger King have removed onions from some of their menus. The contaminated onions were sent to one distribution facility by Taylor Farms, leading McDonald’s to withdraw Quarter Pounder hamburgers from several states.

The specific facility has not been disclosed by McDonald’s. Federal health officials report that the outbreak has resulted in at least 49 people falling ill across 10 states, with one fatality.

Investigators are focusing on slivered onions as the potential source of the infections. Major wholesaler US Foods announced that Taylor Farms had issued a recall for peeled whole and diced yellow onions due to potential E. coli contamination. The recalled onions originated from a Taylor Farms facility in Colorado, according to a US Foods spokesperson.

However, the wholesaler clarified that it does not supply McDonald’s and its recall did not include any products sold at McDonald’s restaurants. Taylor Farms has yet to respond to multiple requests for comment. The US Food and Drug Administration has not confirmed whether it is investigating Taylor Farms in relation to the recent E. coli outbreak.

A spokesperson stated on Thursday that the agency is "looking at all sources" of the outbreak. Meanwhile, several national restaurant chains have temporarily ceased using fresh onions.

Yum Brands, which owns Taco Bell, Pizza Hut and KFC, said in a statement: "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 restaurants."

The Louisville, Kentucky-based company did not disclose where the onions were removed from or if they share the same supplier as McDonald’s. They added that they will continue to follow guidance from regulators and suppliers.

Restaurant Brands International, owner of Burger King, revealed that 5% of its restaurants use onions distributed by Taylor Farms’ Colorado facility. Despite not being contacted by health officials and having no indications of illness, the company asked restaurants that received onions from the Colorado facility to dispose of them two days ago. Chipotle announced on Thursday that it does not source onions from Taylor Farms or use any other ingredients from the Colorado facility.

Onions have been linked to previous outbreaks. In 2015, Taylor Farms had to recall a celery and onion mix used in Costco chicken salads after it caused 19 people to fall ill with E. coli. Last year, an outbreak of salmonella poisoning tied to bagged diced onions from Gills Onions of Oxnard, California, resulted in 80 people falling sick and one death.

The recent McDonald’s outbreak has led to at least 10 hospitalisations, including a child who suffered a severe kidney disease complication due to the infection. Illnesses were confirmed between September 27 and October 11, according to the US 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 Us annually, leading to more than 2,000 hospitalisations and 61 deaths each year, according to CDC. A man from Greeley, Colorado, is suing McDonald’s after contracting an E. coli infection. Eric Stelly, in a lawsuit filed this week, claimed he fell ill two days after eating food from a local McDonald’s on October 4. His infection was later confirmed as part of the outbreak by health officials.

Symptoms of E. coli poisoning can manifest rapidly, often within a day or two of consuming contaminated food. Common signs include fever, vomiting, diarrhoea or bloody diarrhoea, and indications of dehydration such as infrequent urination, increased thirst, and dizziness.

The infection poses a particular risk to children under 5, the elderly, pregnant individuals, and those with compromised immune systems.