E. Coli Outbreak At McDonald’s Sparks Fast Food Chains To Rethink Key Ingredients
This outbreak has now pushed many fast food chains to pull a key ingredient from their menu.
Daphnie
- Published in Interesting
What are we eating?
McDonald’s has had an outbreak of E. coli in its burgers, which has affected many areas across the United States. People across the states have reportedly gotten sick after eating outlets Quarter Pounders from McDonald’s.
As of now, over 50 people have become sick from eating a burger with E. coli bacteria in it, prompting many other fast food chains to investigate their own ingredients to prevent this outbreak from spreading even faster.
On October 22, the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced an investigation into the outbreak of the bacteria.
According to those who were sick, the common denominator between them was that they had ate McDonald’s before getting sick, specifically a Quarter Pounder. Since the reports of this, the quarter pounder has actually been removed from the menu until further notice to avoid anyone else getting sick from it.
This isn’t the first time an outbreak has affected many people across multiple states, but coming from McDonald’s—a popular fast food chain—it can be expected to spread quickly and to many.
Let’s look more into what this means for other fast food chains that might carry a similar ingredient that could hold the bacteria.
McDonald’s has claimed that one specific ingredient from California has caused the outbreak.
The outbreak has so far led to ten hospitalizations and one person’s death in Colorado. McDonald’s owner, Yum! Brands have said that they are continuing to monitor the outbreak.
They stated that as “an abundance of caution,” they removed fresh onions from the menu after believing that they were the source of the outbreak. This has led other fast food chains t food chains, like Taco Bell, Pizza Hut, and KFC, to remove them as well.
“We will continue following supplier and regulatory guidance to ensure the ongoing safety and quality of our food,” the brand added.
Getty ImagesU.S. Foods then issues a recall on raw diced, peeled, and whole onions.
The onion in question was from its third-party supplier Taylor Farms Colorado. “The reason for the recall is due to potential E Coli contamination,” the notice said.
McDonald’s later said that one of the production facilities from Taylor Farms, which supplies them with onions, was impacted. They said that the recall of the fresh onions was “not related to the company’s removal of the Quarter Pounder.”
Getty ImagesIt’s said that McDOnald’s wasn’t even a part of the recall for onions.
Taylor Farms is cooperating with federal regulators after the onions it produces were recalled. They have requested that employees dispose of the onions that are sourced from Taylor Farms.
Mayo Clinic has said that you could be exposed to the E Coli bacteria from contaminated foods like raw vegetables and undercooked beef. Symptoms could include diarrhea, stomach cramping, and nausea.
McDonald’s President Joe Erlinger has stated that customers can still confidently enjoy going to McDonalds and getting their food because “food safety is its top priority.”
Getty Stock PhotoIt’s clear that this outbreak has stirred up some commotion within the fast food sector and for a rightful reason. Getting infected with the E Coli virus is not fun and it can cause serious issues if it becomes bad enough.
It is important that these restaurants prioritize food safety to continue keeping their customers safe, even if it means removing certain items from their menus.