McDonald’s sandwich has been making people sick in the US, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
IE. coli, a type of bacteria that can cause serious stomach problems, has been found in McDonald’s Quarter Pounder sandwiches, the CDC announced Tuesday.
To date, the CDC has recorded 49 cases of illness in 10 states. Ten cases resulted in patients being admitted to hospital and one died.
Most of the cases were recorded in the West and Midwest, according to the CDC.
The fast-food restaurant is working with investigators to determine which ingredients caused the outbreak, according to a statement from the CDC.
“McDonald’s has released the ingredients for these burgers, and they will not be available for sale in other states,” the agency said.
“It is currently unknown which food ingredient is contaminated,” the CDC said, noting that McDonald’s has already “stopped using charred onions and beef patties in several states”.
The CDC said the salvaged onions are believed to be the source of the contamination, and Food and Drug Administration (FDA) investigators are working to determine if the onions were sold to any other business.
No recalls have been issued yet by the CDC or other health and food regulators.
The first case was recorded on September 27, investigators said. The victims ranged in age from 13 to 88.
Of the 10 people taken to the hospital, one person developed hemolytic uremic syndrome, a serious condition that can cause kidney failure.
Another person, described by the CDC as an “elderly man in Colorado” died after eating at McDonald’s.
Cases have been reported in Colorado, Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Oregon, Utah, Wisconsin and Wyoming.
McDonald’s shares fell nearly 9% on the New York Stock Exchange after the news broke on Tuesday.
In a statement, McDonald’s said a preliminary investigation found “that the minor illnesses could be linked to sliced onions used in the Quarter Pounder and were found by a single supplier serving three distribution centers”.
The Chicago-based company added that it has ordered all local restaurants to “remove this product from their servings” and halt shipments of the leftover onions to the region.
The sandwich is also being temporarily removed from the menu in several states, the company said, adding: “We take food safety very seriously and it’s the right thing to do.”
Some beef products remain available, McDonald’s USA President Joe Erlinger said in a video message.
“At McDonald’s, you can count on us to do the right thing,” he said.
IE. coli is a diverse group of bacteria that commonly inhabits the intestines of humans and animals.
While most are harmless, some produce toxins that can make you sick.
Symptoms include severe and sometimes bloody diarrhea, stomach cramps, vomiting and fever.
It usually takes several days after infection for symptoms to appear.
This is not the first outbreak of E. coli that affected McDonald’s in recent years.
In 2022, six children in Alabama became ill with E. coli after eating chicken McNuggets.
Four children were admitted to the hospital. Health inspectors later visited the affected restaurant and found multiple violations, including improper hand washing and a lack of gloves.
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