McDonald’s faces onion crisis amid E. coli outbreak fears
McDonald's has temporarily removed Quarter Pounders from the menu in about one-fifth of its restaurants in the United States. Freshly chopped onions have faced a similar fate. The decision was made in response to E. coli bacteria infections, which have been fatal for one person.
According to information provided by the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 49 cases of E. coli infection have been reported in 10 states so far. Ten people have been hospitalised, and one person has died. Most of the illnesses have been recorded in the western and midwestern regions of the USA.
Extent of the epidemic
The most cases have been reported in Colorado and Nebraska. In Colorado, where 26 infections have been noted, one person has died. It is known that the deceased was an elderly person. A child is also in hospital, having developed haemolytic uraemic syndrome (HUS), which leads to kidney failure.
The first case of infection was reported on 27 September, but McDonald's only announced the threat last week. By Wednesday, about a dozen people admitted to eating a Quarter Pounder before experiencing symptoms of the illness. Other products, such as different types of burgers, are not affected by the issue.
Searching for the source of contamination
Investigators suspect that onions, a popular addition to quarter patty, may be the source of contamination. The CDC and FDA are also investigating whether the patties themselves are responsible. McDonald's confirmed that its burgers are cooked at 80 degrees Celsius, exceeding the 71 degrees needed to eliminate E. coli bacteria.
Preliminary findings indicate that infections occurred at many restaurants, suggesting improper food handling at a particular location is unlikely to be at fault. The company stated that restaurants use different meat suppliers, but they share one onion supplier—the California-based company Taylor Farms, one of the largest vegetable processors in the world.
Taylor Farms, which collaborates with companies including US Foods, announced its own recall of specific batches of onions, even though internal tests did not show the presence of E. coli bacteria.
Meanwhile, Yum! Brands, which owns Taco Bell, Pizza Hut, and KFC, is monitoring the situation and announced that it will preventively remove fresh onions from selected locations in the United States. The company did not disclose how many restaurants are affected by this decision.
Impact on McDonald's
After the news of the outbreak was announced, McDonald's shares fell 7% on Wednesday but have since recovered slightly. The company stated that it is too early to assess how this will affect sales. McDonald's believes the problem has been eliminated from the supply chain and hopes that Quarter Pounders will return to the menu in the affected states within a few weeks.
The decision to withdraw the products comes at a challenging time for the chain, which had already struggled with decreased demand for fast food. Changing consumer habits have forced the company to rely heavily on promotions and discounts.
The first lawsuit
The first lawsuit related to the outbreak was filed by Eric Stelly, who fell ill two days after eating a meal at a restaurant in Greeley, Colorado. After receiving medical help, tests confirmed E. coli infection, and health authorities confirmed that the case was linked to the outbreak.
- Through this lawsuit and others, we will make sure that all of the victims are fully compensated for their losses, that their voices are heard, and that McDonald's and its suppliers permanently fix the health and safety violations that caused their food to become contaminated with E. coli – said Ron Simon, Stelly's lawyer.
The lawsuit was filed in Chicago, where McDonald's headquarters is located.
