McDonald’s Brings Back Quarter Pounder as Number of Reported E. Coli Cases Grows

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) announced an update to its investigation into an outbreak of E. coli infections across the country that started on Oct. 22. As of the time of this writing, 26 new cases have been reported, for a total of 75, and three states were added to the list, for a total of 13 areas now impacted.

Most people affected by the outbreak reported eating a Quarter Pounder hamburger at McDonald’s before becoming sick. This fast-moving investigation is working to confirm the source of the contamination in collaboration with McDonald's, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and other public health officials.

While the CDC's Food Safety Alert still says, "It is not yet known which specific food ingredient is contaminated," McDonald's issued a statement on its website claiming, "The issue appears to be contained to a particular ingredient and geography, and we remain very confident that any contaminated product related to this outbreak has been removed from our supply chain and is out of all McDonald’s restaurants."

Initial traceback information from the FDA shows that onions are a likely source of contamination and the agency is working quickly to identify and determine whether these were used or sold elsewhere.

Regional Supplier Taylor Farms Recalls Onions as McDonald’s Brings Back Quarter Pounder

As a result, Taylor Farms issued a recall of onions on Oct. 25, stating, "Our priority remains the health and safety of our consumers. We have preemptively recalled yellow onions from our Taylor Farms Colorado facility that were sent to select foodservice customers."

McDonald's online statement notes, "The 900 restaurants that historically received slivered onions from Taylor Farms’ Colorado Springs facility will resume sales of Quarter Pounders without slivered onions. Those restaurants are in Colorado, Kansas, and Wyoming, as well as portions of Idaho, Iowa, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Mexico, Oklahoma, and Utah."

An earnings call on Oct. 29 further confirmed the fast food chain's plan to "stop sourcing onions from [the Taylor Farms] facility indefinitely" and bring back its quarter-pound beef patties. McDonald's CEO Chris Kempczinski said, "The Colorado Department of Agriculture confirmed on Sunday that they did not detect E. coli in the samples of beef patties from our restaurants and have no further plans to test. This supports our investigation that ruled out quarter pounder patties as the source...Our beef suppliers are producing a new supply of fresh beef patties in the impacted areas and we expect all restaurants in the U.S. to resume the sale of Quarter Pounders in the coming week."

Due to actions taken by both companies, the CDC currently believes the risk to the public is very low.

Where Is the McDonald's Quarter Pounder E. Coli Outbreak Occurring?

So far, these states have reported cases of E. Coli tied to the outbreak: Colorado, with 26; Montana, with 13, Nebraska, with 11; Utah and New Mexico, with five; Wyoming and Missouri, with four; Michigan, with two; Washington, Oregon, Kansas, Iowa, and Wisconsin, each with one.

Illnesses started on dates ranging from Sept. 27 to Oct 10. Of the 61 people with available information, 22 have been hospitalized, including two who developed a serious condition that can lead to kidney failure. One death has been reported in Colorado.

The true number affected is likely much higher and spans more states, as reporting usually takes three to four weeks to be accounted for in outbreaks of this size.

What to Do if You Ate a Quarter Pounder and Have Symptoms Associated with E. Coli Infections

The CDC recommends you call your healthcare provider if you ate a McDonald’s Quarter Pounder hamburger and have severe E. coli symptoms. Symptoms include stomach cramps, diarrhea, excessive vomiting, a fever over 102 degrees F (39 degrees C), and/or dizziness, which can start three to four days after ingesting the bacteria. Most people recover on their own without treatment after five to seven days. However, serious complications can develop, so it's important to consult professionals if concerns arise.