McDonald’s E. coli outbreak leads Taco Bell, Pizza Hut, to release onions without warning
Custom Care Medical Specialist Dr. Frank Contacessa discusses the symptoms of foodborne E. coli in Varney & Co.
Yum! Brands is removing fresh onions from some of its Taco Bell, Pizza Hut and KFC locations as federal health agencies continue to investigate the source of the E. coli linked to McDonald’s Quarter Pounders that left dozens sick and led to one death.
McDonald’s has already added onions and Quarter Pounder beef to restaurants in areas where cases have been reported and has stopped selling the sandwich in several states, the company said Tuesday after the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) announced the outbreak.
McDonald’s Quarter Pounder hamburgers have been linked to an outbreak of E. coli that left one person dead and nearly 50 sick in ten states.
Now, Yum! follows that after McDonald’s supplier Taylor Farms pulled out yellow onions. Taylor Farms did not immediately respond to FOX Business’ request for comment on the recall.
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“As we continue to monitor the newly reported E. coli outbreak, and out of an abundance of caution, we have removed fresh onions from select Taco Bell, Pizza Hut and KFC restaurants,” Yum! a spokesperson for FOX Business in a statement Thursday. “We will continue to follow supplier guidance and regulations to ensure the continued safety and quality of our food.”
Yum! Brands is removing fresh onions from some Taco Bell, Pizza Hut and KFC locations out of an abundance of caution as officials continue to investigate the source of the E. coli linked to McDonald’s Quarter Pounders. (Photos by Paul Weaver/SOPA/LightRocket via Getty Images / Getty Images)
| A ticker | Security | Finally | Change | change % |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| YUM | YUM! Company BRANDS INC. | 133.23 | -0.78 |
-0.58% |
The statement did not specify which locations Yum! removes onions from restaurants. McDonald’s has pulled Quarter Pounder ingredients from the states of Colorado, Kansas, Utah and Wyoming, as well as parts of Idaho, Iowa, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Mexico and Oklahoma.
McDonald’s spokespeople said Wednesday that the CDC notified the company of the outbreak last week, and that the company is working with relevant agencies to determine whether beef or onions — two ingredients in the sandwich that may have carried E. cause.
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But if beef is the source, it would mean that many McDonalds restaurants did not cook the patties to the standard 175 degrees required by the chain, given that E. coli is killed at 160 degrees.
McDonald’s has stopped selling Quarter Pounders in areas affected by E. coli that left 49 people sick and one dead. (Photos by Sebastian Ng/SOPA/LightRocket via Getty Images / Getty Images)
| A ticker | Security | Finally | Change | change % |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| MCD | Company MCDONALD’S CORP. | 301.65 | +2.90 |
+0.97% |
McDonald’s also takes a close look at the fresh pickled onion used as a topping, because it’s a single-source green ingredient. However, if onions are determined to be the cause, it would be the first time onions have been the source of an outbreak of this type of E. coli – E. coli O157:H7.
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The CDC advises that anyone who develops symptoms of E. coli symptoms such as high fever, diarrhea, vomiting or dehydration after eating the Quarter Pounder should call their healthcare provider.
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