More Than 100 Illnesses Now Linked to McDonald’s Quarter Pounder E. Coli Outbreak

Although the number of reported McDonald’s E. coli poisoning cases continues to rise, health officials say there are no longer food safety concerns at affected restaurants.

Since a McDonald’s E. coli outbreak emerged last month, more than 100 people have reported that they were sickened after eating Quarter Pounder hamburgers. However, health officials indicate that affected restaurants have started serving full menus again, including items that were believed to contribute to the illnesses.

E. coli is a bacteria that is often responsible for food poisoning outbreaks, producing symptoms that typically last several days, including vomiting, dehydration and diarrhea.  However, for some people E. Coli poisoning can lead to serious and potentially  life-threatening illnesses, especially among young children, elderly adults and people with weakened immune systems.

In severe cases, E. coli can result in the need for hospital treatment, and it is capable of causing hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS), which can lead to kidney failure.

McDonald’s Quarter Pounder E. Coli Outbreak Investigation

According to an investigation update published by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on November 13, at least 104 people have been sickened as the result of a recent McDonald’s Quarter Pounder E. coli outbreak, including 34 cases of food poisoning serious enough to require hospitalizations and one death.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) first announced the outbreak on October 22, eventually determining that the E. coli contamination was linked to slivered onions served on Quarter Pounder sandwiches that came from a single supplier, Taylor Farms.

FDA investigators now say that inspections have been completed at both a Taylor Farms processing center in Colorado, and an onion grower in Washington state, which were involved in the production of slivered onions believed to have been used on McDonald’s Quarter Pounders at restaurants where illnesses may have originated.

However, testing of the onions believed to be responsible for the E. coli contamination is still inconclusive, the FDA says. One sample of the recalled onions has tested positive for E. coli, but it is a different strain of the bacteria than the one involved in the McDonald’s Quarter Pounder outbreak.

The FDA confirms that all McDonald’s locations that previously received slivered onions from Taylor Farms have stopped serving them. However, the restaurants are now using slivered onions from a different supplier, allowing them to offer full menus again, including Quarter Pounder hamburgers.

Taylor Farms initiated a voluntary recall of its slivered onions on October 22.

The McDonald’s E. coli outbreak has been isolated to 14 states, with the majority of cases occurring in Colorado (30) and Montana (19). Additional cases have been reported in:

• Iowa — one illness
• Kansas — three illnesses
• Michigan — two illnesses
• Missouri — eight illnesses
• Nebraska — 13 illnesses
• New Mexico — 10 illnesses
• North Carolina — one illness
• Oregon — one illness
• Utah — eight illnesses
• Washington — one illness
• Wisconsin — one illness
• Wyoming — six illnesses

McDonald’s E. Coli Outbreak Lawsuits

Although the outbreak was announced late last month, illnesses appear to have started as early as September. Food safety experts widely believe that reported food poisoning cases typically only represent a small percentage of all illnesses caused by a contaminated product.

Some customers who became ill from the E. coli outbreak have already begun filing McDonald’s food poisoning lawsuits over the restaurants’ failure to detect the contamination, with at least one proposed class action seeking damages for all consumers who were served Quarter Pounders linked to the recall.

Individuals who believe they have been infected with E. coli should contact their healthcare provider and tell them what they have eaten. They can also contact their state’s health department with any additional questions.