The investigation by federal authorities into an E. coli outbreak associated with McDonald’s Quarter Pounder hamburgers has officially concluded, as the U.S. government announced on Tuesday that there is no longer any safety threat linked to the incident.
Initially reported on October 22, this outbreak resulted in at least 104 confirmed cases across 14 states, with 34 individuals requiring hospitalization. Tragically, one person in Colorado lost their life, and four others experienced severe kidney complications due to the infection.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) collaborated with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and various state health agencies to investigate the outbreak, which was traced back to yellow onions dispensed by Taylor Farms in California. These onions were utilized in raw form on Quarter Pounders in numerous states, including Colorado, Kansas, and Wyoming.
Since the CDC reported that no further cases were documented after October 21—when McDonald’s temporarily removed the Quarter Pounder from its menu in affected areas—there have been no additional health concerns. The CDC noted that Taylor Farms also began a voluntary recall of their yellow onions shortly after.
Despite conducting tests on the onions and environmental samples, health officials in Colorado did not discover the specific E. coli strain that was responsible for the illnesses. Nonetheless, they concluded that the recalled onions were likely the source of the outbreak.
In a statement released Tuesday, the FDA declared, “McDonald’s is no longer serving recalled onions and does not appear to be facing further food safety issues related to this outbreak.”
The outbreak prompted McDonald’s to briefly suspend the sale of Quarter Pounders at approximately 3,000 locations across the U.S., later reducing the number of affected stores to 900 once the investigation identified onions—and not the patties—as the primary contamination source. The company managed to secure a different supplier for the onions and reinstated Quarter Pounders with slivered onions in all U.S. outlets the previous month.
However, the incident has negatively impacted customer demand for the fast-food chain. To address this, McDonald’s announced plans in mid-November to allocate $100 million to entice customers back to the restaurants, with $65 million specifically designated for franchisees most impacted by the outbreak.
Although McDonald’s chose not to disclose the current status of sales in the affected areas, the company expressed appreciation for the prompt response from regulatory bodies and reiterated their commitment to adhering to stringent food safety protocols.
This recent outbreak is not the first food safety issue McDonald’s has faced. In 2018, more than 500 patrons were affected by an intestinal illness traced back to the company’s salads.
Additionally, McDonald’s refrained from commenting on possible legal actions taken against the company due to the E. coli outbreak.
In Montana, Nicole and Richard West have filed a lawsuit against McDonald’s after their 11-month-old daughter, Logan, was hospitalized due to E. coli poisoning. The infant fell ill after consuming part of her father’s Quarter Pounder with onions during a family road trip on October 2.
Logan experienced severe vomiting and diarrhea shortly after, leading her mother to seek immediate medical attention. Upon examination, she was diagnosed with E. coli O157:H7, a strain known for causing serious illnesses, particularly in young children.
Richard West also became ill but did not visit a doctor, as he was busy caring for their other children at home. Consequently, he lost over two weeks of work as a truck driver, leaving the family facing significant medical bills.
Reflecting on the ordeal, Nicole West expressed that while her daughter’s condition has improved, the outbreak has profoundly impacted their trust in McDonald’s.
“When it comes to dining out with kids, they naturally gravitate towards McDonald’s and crave Happy Meals,” West stated. “But our trust in them has just been shattered.”
