Deadly E. coli Outbreak Tied to Onions UPDATE

[Atticus Pizzaballa]

Deadly E. coli Outbreak Tied to Onions Now Impacting Multiple Fast-Food Chains Nationwide

Including McDonald's, Taco Bell, Pizza Hut, KFC, and Burger King.



By Samantha Leffler

Samantha Leffler

Samantha Leffler

Samantha is the senior food editor at RealSimple and previously launched the US Weekly food vertical, where she wrote about the intersection of food and pop culture.



Real Simple's Editorial Guidelines

Published on October 25, 2024


The deadly E.coli outbreak first linked to McDonald’s Quarter Pounder hamburgers has just gone from bad to worse. According to The Associated Press, McDonald’s officials have confirmed that a California-based produce company called Taylor Farms sent onions to one distribution facility, likely resulting in the now-deadly E.coli outbreak and the removal of Quarter Pounder hamburgers from McDonald’s menus across several states.



Now that raw onions from Taylor Farms have been identified as the likely source of the E.coli outbreak, multiple nationwide fast-food chains (some of which also get onions from Taylor Farms) have followed McDonald’s lead and opted to pull onions from their menus in several states. In addition to McDonald’s, the other fast-food brands that are now affected by the tainted onions include Taco Bell, Pizza Hut, KFC, and Burger King.






Thus far, the E.coli outbreak has only sickened people who reported eating McDonald’s Quarter Pounders. Still, it has led to 49 illnesses and one death across 10 states, including Colorado, Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Oregon, Utah, Wisconsin, and Wyoming. McDonald’s has also stopped using onions in portions of Idaho, Nevada, New Mexico, and Oklahoma, while the investigation is ongoing. It’s not yet clear if any additional states are affected.



Per U.S. Foods, a major wholesaler to restaurants nationwide, Taylor Farms has recalled peeled whole and diced yellow onions from a facility in Colorado due to potential E. coli contamination. However, a U.S. Foods spokesperson also noted that Taylor Farms wasn’t a McDonald’s supplier, and that its recall didn’t include any products sold at the fast-food chain’s restaurants.



The AP also points out that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has not confirmed that onions from Taylor Farms are to blame for the E.coli outbreak. A spokesperson for the agency would only share that it is currently “looking at all sources” of the outbreak.






Still, other fast-food chains are already taking preventative measures in an effort to prevent the outbreak from growing. “As we continue to monitor the recently reported E. coli outbreak, and out of an abundance of caution, we have proactively removed fresh onions from select Taco Bell, Pizza Hut and KFC restaurants,” Yum Brands, the chains’ parent company, said in a statement.



According to Restaurant Brands International, the company that owns Burger King, roughly 5% of BK restaurants nationwide use onions distributed by Taylor Farms’ Colorado facility. Despite the fact that no Burger King customers have reported getting sick, Restaurant Brands told AP that it asked the locations that received onions from the Colorado facility to dispose of them earlier this week. Burger King is currently sourcing raw onions from other suppliers.



The investigation into this deadly E. coli outbreak is still ongoing.



Trader Joe's Recalls Green Onions Due to Salmonella Risk (Check Your Fridge!)

E. coli is a potentially deadly bacterium that can cause dehydration, high fever, vomiting, bloody diarrhea and abdominal cramps. Symptoms typically appear three to four days after swallowing the bacteria, and most people typically recover without treatment after five to seven days. However, some people who come in contact with E.coli may develop a type of kidney failure called hemolytic uremic syndrome. This condition can affect people of any age, but is most common in children under five and the elderly. It is marked by easy bruising, pallor, and decreased urine output.



Anyone concerned about an illness should contact a healthcare provider, and if you’re experiencing symptoms of HUS, you should seek emergency medical care immediately.


www.realsimple.com/e-coli-outbreak-tied-to-onions-impacts-multiple-fast-food-chains-8734364

Be careful out there!!!