LOS ANGELES — Recent tests have confirmed that beef patties are not responsible for the E. coli outbreak associated with McDonald’s Quarter Pounders, prompting the company to announce that it will resume selling the popular burger shortly.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has indicated that slivered onions from a single supplier are likely the cause of the contamination, as stated by McDonald’s.

As of last Friday, the outbreak has affected at least 75 individuals across 13 states, according to federal health officials. Among those affected, 22 people have been hospitalized, with two experiencing serious kidney complications, as reported by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Additionally, the outbreak has led to one fatality in Colorado.

Preliminary assessments conducted by the FDA have indicated that the uncooked slivered onions used in the burgers are probably linked to the contamination. McDonald’s confirmed that the fresh onions supplied to its affected restaurants came from Taylor Farms, a produce company based in California, and that these onions were sourced from a facility located in Colorado Springs, Colorado.

The 900 McDonald’s locations that typically sourced slivered onions from Taylor Farms’ facility in Colorado Springs will begin offering Quarter Pounders once again, although these burgers will be served without the slivered onions, as announced by the company.

In response to the outbreak, Taylor Farms has proactively recalled yellow onions distributed from its Colorado facility and is collaborating with both the CDC and the FDA as the investigation unfolds.

The current outbreak is specifically associated with the strain E. coli 0157:H7, which generates a harmful toxin. This type of bacteria is responsible for approximately 74,000 infections in the United States each year, resulting in over 2,000 hospitalizations and 61 deaths annually, as noted by the CDC.