E. Coli Outbreak Linked to McDonald’s Quarter Pounder

Fast food giant McDonald’s has been at the center of recent headlines as a concerning E. coli outbreak has been traced to one of its popular menu items. The Centers For  Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) identified raw, slivered onions on McDonald’s Quarter Pounder as the source of the outbreak. According to the Drug & Food Administration (FDA), at least 90 people across 13 states have fallen ill and one death has tragically been reported.

Contaminated Onions

The onions were sourced from California-based Taylor Farms, and distributed from their Colorado Springs facility to approximately 900 McDonald’s locations. In response to the outbreak, Taylor Farms promptly issued a recall of its yellow onions, while McDonald’s briefly pulled the Quarter Pounder from select locations at the onset of the investigation. After the FDA confirmed that the beef patties used in the burgers tested negative for E. coli, McDonald’s resumed the sale of the Quarter Pounder without the onions.

The FDA reported that the current risk for contamination is low, following the recall and the removal of the onions from the burger. McDonald’s released a statement saying, “We have decided to stop sourcing onions from Taylor Farms’ Colorado Springs facility indefinitely.”

CD Law Shares Their Expertise

Vineet Dubey, Partner and Co-founder of Custodio & Dubey LLP, shared his expertise on the effects of food contamination on customers and the businesses that caused it with both KNX News Radio and Daily Mail.

He joined KNX News to discuss some important issues McDonald’s will be facing regarding their reputation and future marketing tactics to rebuild customer trust. Dubey states, “In terms of standing for their brand, I think it’s potentially a very big deal for them, and they’re going to have to really spend a lot of money on advertising and marketing to turn around the negative perception that’s come out of this.” Click HERE for access to the full interview.

Vineet is also quoted in Daily Mail advising, “Many people get sick from diarrhea with E.coli for a few days before getting better. But if the food poisoning is bad enough to land someone in the hospital, then it could be actionable from a legal perspective.” Click HERE for access to the full article.

Contact Our Firm if You Experience Food Borne Illness Due to Negligence

According to the CDC, E. coli can cause dangerous diarrhea and lead to kidney failure. This bacteria is the cause of 74,000 infections in the U.S. annually. These infections lead to more than 2,000 hospitalizations and 61 deaths each year.

The CDC estimates that there are roughly 9.4 million cases of foodborne illness each year, resulting in an estimated 56,000 hospitalizations and 1,350 deaths annually. Food safety experts say the cause is a combination of a lack of regulation and dysfunction within the Food and Drug Administration, according to an April 2022 Politico report. Contact our team if you or a loved one needs legal advice after sustaining food-borne illness.