California-based produce company was source of new onion linked to deadly E. coli bacteria Outbreak of food poisoning at McDonald’s, restaurant chain officials said Thursday. Meanwhile, other fast food restaurants such as Taco Bell, Pizza Hut, KFC and Burger King have removed onions from some menus.
McDonald’s officials said Taylor Farms of Salinas, Calif., sent onions to a distribution facility, causing the fast food chain to remove quarter pounder hamburger From restaurants in several states. McDonald’s did not say which facility it was.
The burger-related outbreak has sickened at least 49 people in 10 states, including one death, according to federal health officials. Investigators said: Pay attention to the julienned onions. as a potential source of infection.
U.S. Foods, a major wholesaler to restaurants nationwide, announced Thursday that Taylor Farms issued a recall this week for peeled whole and chopped yellow onions due to possible E. coli contamination. A US Foods spokesperson said the recalled onions came from a Taylor Farms facility in Colorado. However, the wholesaler also noted that the company is not a supplier to McDonald’s and the recall did not include products sold in the fast food chain’s restaurants.
Taylor Farms did not respond to multiple requests for comment.
U.S. Food and Drug Administration officials have not confirmed that the agency is investigating Taylor Farms. A spokesperson said Thursday that the agency is “investigating all possible causes” of the outbreak.
Meanwhile, other national restaurant chain We have temporarily stopped using fresh onions.
“We continue to monitor the recently reported E. coli outbreak and, out of an abundance of caution, we have proactively removed fresh onions from some Taco Bell, Pizza Hut and KFC restaurants,” Yum Brands said in a statement. Ta.
Yum Brands, based in Louisville, Kentucky, would not say where the onions were removed or whether the company uses the same suppliers as McDonald’s. Yum Brands said it will continue to follow guidance from regulators and suppliers.
Restaurant Brands International, which owns Burger King, announced Thursday that 5% of its restaurants are using onions distributed from Taylor Farms’ Colorado facility. At Burger King restaurants, whole, fresh onions are delivered to you and employees wash, peel, and slice them.
Restaurant Brands said it asked restaurants that received onions from its Colorado facility to throw them away two days ago, even though they had not been contacted by health officials and there were no signs of illness. Ta. The company said it is replenishing onions from other suppliers.
Chipotle said Thursday that it does not source onions from Taylor Farms or any other ingredients from its Colorado facility.
Onions are related to previous fad. In 2015, Taylor Farms recalled the celery and onion mix used in Costco’s chicken salad after an incident that infected 19 people with E. coli. last year, 80 people became ill, 1 person died. An outbreak of salmonella has been linked to bagged diced onions from Gill’s Onions in Oxnard, California.
At least 10 people have been hospitalized in the McDonald’s outbreak, including a child who suffered complications from severe kidney disease as a result of the infection. The illness was confirmed between September 27 and October 11, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The victims were infected with E. coli 0157:H7, a type of bacteria that produces dangerous toxins. According to the CDC, there are about 74,000 infections in the United States each year, with more than 2,000 hospitalizations and 61 deaths each year.
A Greeley, Colorado, man is suing McDonald’s, claiming he contracted an E. coli infection. In a lawsuit filed this week, Eric Stelly said he ate food from a local McDonald’s on Oct. 4 and became ill two days later. After he sought emergency treatment, health officials confirmed his infection was part of the outbreak.
Symptoms of E. coli poisoning can appear quickly within 1 to 2 days after eating contaminated food. Usually includes fever, vomiting, diarrhea or bloody diarrhea, and signs of dehydration (little or no peeing, increased dry mouth, dizziness). This infection is especially dangerous for children under 5, the elderly, pregnant, or immunocompromised.
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