Yum! Brands, Burger King, and other food companies have recalled onions from certain restaurants in the wake of E. coli being linked to McDonald’s Quarter Pounders.
Yum! Brands said it proactively removed fresh onions from select Taco Bell, Pizza Hut, and KFC stores out of an abundance of caution.
Additionally, Taylor Farms was linked to onions supplied to impacted McDonald’s stores. It took out yellow onions from its Colorado-based production facility. U.S. Foods—which does not distribute products to McDonald’s stores, but receives onions produced by Taylor Farms—also recalled onions products produced by Taylor Farms.
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Meanwhile, Burger King is proactively taking away onions from 5 percent of its U.S. restaurants after recognizing their onions came from Taylor Farms’ Colorado-based facility. The chain asked these units to immediately remove the onions on Tuesday. The brand is now in the process of restocking their onion supplies from other facilities.
An E. coli outbreak tied to McDonald’s Quarter Pounders has caused one death and at least 49 illnesses in 10 states, with most cases reported in Colorado and Nebraska. The CDC is investigating, focusing on the possible contamination of slivered onions used in the burgers. In response, McDonald’s has temporarily pulled the Quarter Pounder from menus in affected areas and stopped using the suspect onions from its supplier.
The company is working with the CDC and local health authorities to resolve the issue and prevent further incidents. The CDC has issued a public health warning and believes more cases may still be unreported.
E. coli is a harmful bacteria that can lead to severe stomach cramps, diarrhea, and even kidney failure in extreme cases. Customers are advised to seek medical attention if they experience symptoms after eating Quarter Pounders during the time frame of the outbreak. Investigations are ongoing to determine the full scope of the contamination.
