Recently, McDonald’s took Quarter Pounders, which come with raw onions, off the menu at several of its locations due to potential risks of E. coli contamination. This action comes amid another recall associated with raw onions.

US Foods, a leading distributor in the U.S. food service industry, has announced a recall of raw diced, peeled, and whole peeled onions from Taylor Farms Colorado, a third-party supplier. The recall was prompted by possible E. coli contamination, according to a report by ABC News.

McDonald’s informed YSL News on Thursday that one of Taylor Farms’ facilities supplied onions to their locations that were linked to the recent E. coli cases.

Nevertheless, Taylor Farms clarified that the recalled onions from Colorado are not connected to McDonald’s removal of the Quarter Pounders.

McDonald’s explained that US Foods does not supply their restaurants. The fast-food chain also received confirmation from US Foods that it is not considered a distributor for McDonald’s and that the restaurants were not part of the recall notifications related to the Taylor Farms onion products.

According to a previous report by The Wall Street Journal, Taylor Farms provided onions to the McDonald’s locations affected by the outbreak. The company stated to the Journal that it is collaborating with federal regulators to take back the yellow onions sourced from its Colorado plant.

No immediate response was received from Taylor Farms when YSL News reached out for comments.

Essential details about the E. coli outbreak connected to McDonald’s Quarter Pounders

The fast-food chain announced that it had removed the Quarter Pounder from the menu at about 20% of its restaurants following reports of 49 illnesses across 10 states attributed to the E. coli outbreak associated with the sandwiches, as noted by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Tragically, one person in Colorado has died.

The investigation by federal safety regulators is examining the beef patties or slivered onions on the sandwiches as the potential sources of contamination. McDonald’s confirmed that the diced onions used on their cheeseburgers and hamburgers have not been recalled.

The FDA mentioned to YSL News that they currently have no new updates regarding the investigation into the Quarter Pounders at McDonald’s, nor have they tied the outbreak to Taylor Farms. “We are continuing to explore all possible sources,” spokesperson Janell Goodwin commented.

Why are onions considered a suspect in the McDonald’s E. coli outbreak?

McDonald’s employs rigorous cooking standards, ensuring that the Quarter Pounder patties are cooked to a minimum temperature of 175 degrees. Any E. coli present in the meat would be eradicated at a temperature of 160 degrees, the company stated.

However, the sandwiches are usually topped with slivered onions. According to the CDC, “Early indications from the FDA suggest onions could be a source of this outbreak.”

Food safety lawyer Bill Marler noted to YSL News on Wednesday that with the outbreak occurring across 10 states, the likelihood of multiple cases of undercooking is low. “It’s reasonable to assume the problem lies with the onion supplier, though cross-contamination in restaurants is also a possibility,” he said.

FDA’s latest update on onions and the E. coli investigation

The FDA stated, “We are utilizing every tool at our disposal to verify if onions are indeed the source of this outbreak,” in an update late Thursday. This includes conducting thorough investigations with state and federal partners, as well as collecting and analyzing records and distribution data. They are also gathering onion samples for testing.

Regarding Taylor Farms’ voluntary recall, they confirmed that yellow onions were distributed to other food service clients. Those who received the recalled products have been directly informed of the recall.

This story has been updated to incorporate new developments.