What we know about the McDonald’s E. coli outbreak investigation.
An E. coli outbreak linked to McDonald’s Quarter Pounders has led to at least 49 illnesses across 10 states, including one death.
Here’s what we know.
Quarter Pounders made people sick
The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued a food safety alert on Tuesday warning that dozens of people reported eating the Quarter Pounder sandwich at McDonald’s before becoming sick.
A specific ingredient has not yet been confirmed as the source of the outbreak, but the US Food and Drug Administration says that the slivered onions or beef patties on Quarter Pounder sandwiches are the likely source of contamination.
McDonald’s has stopped using the onions as well as quarter-pound beef patties in several states including Colorado, Kansas, Utah and Wyoming, as well as portions of Idaho, Iowa, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Mexico and Oklahoma while the investigation continues, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said.
According to the agency, the beef patties are used only for the Quarter Pounders, and the slivered onions are used primarily for the Quarter Pounder and not other items. Diced onions and other types of beef patties used at McDonald’s have not been implicated in this outbreak, the FDA said.
E. coli infections can be serious
Escherichia coli, or E. coli, is a common bacteria, but certain types can make you sick. Infections can occur after swallowing the bacteria, often after eating contaminated food or water. It can also spread from person to person through poor bathroom hygiene.
People with E. coli infections may have symptoms including severe stomach cramps, diarrhea, fever and vomiting. Symptoms of infection usually begin three or four days after swallowing the bacteria.