McDonald's E. coli outbreak leads Taco Bell, Pizza Hut to yank onions out of caution
Yum! Brands follows McDonald's in pulling fresh onions from some locations amid E. coli outbreak as investigation continues
CDC links McDonald's quarter pounders to E. coli outbreak
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Yum! Brands is removing fresh onions from some of its Taco Bell, Pizza Hut and KFC locations as government health agencies continue to investigate the source of an E. coli outbreak linked to McDonald's Quarter Pounders that has left dozens sick and resulted in one death.
McDonald's has already yanked onions and Quarter Pounder beef patties from its restaurants in the areas where cases have been reported and has stopped selling the sandwich in several states, the company said Tuesday after the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) announced the outbreak.
McDonald's Quarter Pounder hamburgers have been linked to an E. coli outbreak that has left one person dead and nearly 50 sick across 10 states.
Now, Yum! is following suit after McDonald's supplier Taylor Farms issued a recall of yellow onions. Taylor Farms did not immediately respond to FOX Business' request for comment on the recall.
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"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," a Yum! spokesperson told FOX Business in a statement Thursday. "We will continue following supplier and regulatory guidance to ensure the ongoing safety and quality of our food."
Yum! Brands is removing fresh onions from some Taco Bell, Pizza Hut and KFC locations out of caution as officials continue to investigate the source of an E. coli outbreak linked to McDonald's Quarter Pounders. (Paul Weaver/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images / Getty Images)
| Ticker | Security | Last | Change | Change % |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| YUM | YUM! BRANDS INC. | 135.26 | +1.04 | +0.78% |
Yum! Brands, Inc.
The statement did not specify in which areas Yum! is removing onions from its restaurants. McDonald's has pulled Quarter Pounder ingredients from the states of Colorado, Kansas, Utah and Wyoming, as well as portions of Idaho, Iowa, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Mexico and Oklahoma.
McDonald's spokespeople said on Wednesday that the CDC had informed the company of the outbreak last week, and the company is working with the agencies involved to determine whether beef or onions — the two ingredients in the sandwich that could be carriers for E. coli — are the cause.
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But if beef is the source, it would mean that multiple McDonald's restaurants did not cook the patties to the standard 175 degrees required by the chain, given that E. coli is killed at 160 degrees.
McDonald's has stopped selling Quarter Pounders in areas impacted by an E. coli outbreak that has left 49 people sick and one person dead. (Sebastian Ng/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images / Getty Images)
| Ticker | Security | Last | Change | Change % |
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| MCD | MCDONALD'S CORP. | 292.44 | -1.80 | -0.61% |
McDonald's Corp.
McDonald's is also looking closely at the fresh slivered onions used as a topping, because they are a raw ingredient that came from a single source. However, if the onions are determined to be the cause, it would be the first time onions have been the source of an outbreak of this particular strain of E. coli — E. coli O157:H7.
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The CDC advises that anyone who experiences severe E. coli symptoms such as high fever, diarrhea, vomiting or dehydration after eating a Quarter Pounder should call their health care provider.