McDonald's Corp. announced on Sunday that it has ruled out its beef patties as the source of a recent E. coli outbreak linked to its Quarter Pounder hamburgers, which has resulted in at least one death and sickened nearly 75 people across 13 states. The fast-food giant is preparing to resume sales of the popular burger after pulling it from approximately one-fifth of its U.S. restaurants as a precautionary measure.
"We remain very confident that any contaminated product related to this outbreak has been removed from our supply chain and is out of all McDonald's restaurants," said Cesar Pina, McDonald's Chief Supply Chain Officer, in a statement. The company added that fresh supplies of the Quarter Pounder are expected to be available in all restaurants within the coming week.
The Colorado Department of Agriculture conducted extensive testing on multiple lots of McDonald's brand fresh and frozen beef patties and reported that all subsamples tested negative for E. coli. "We have completed beef testing and do not anticipate receiving further samples," the department stated, effectively exonerating the beef patties from suspicion.
Regulators had been investigating whether McDonald's beef could be a vector for the E. coli bacteria. However, attention has now shifted to raw, slivered onions used in the Quarter Pounder. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration and the U.S. Department of Agriculture did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
Although E. coli is typically killed when beef is cooked properly, the presence of raw onions presents a different risk. McDonald's confirmed that affected restaurants will resume serving Quarter Pounders without the slivered onions. The company has halted sourcing onions from Taylor Farms' Colorado Springs facility indefinitely, as the facility is believed to be the origin of the potentially contaminated onions.
"While Taylor Farms has not detected E. coli in its onions, they have decided to halt distribution as a precaution," McDonald's said. The recall involves several types of onions, including peeled whole onions and yellow diced onions. A notice from U.S. Foods, one of the largest food service suppliers in the country, advises restaurants to cease using onions from Taylor Farms and to "DESTROY" any remaining stock. Sysco Corp., another leading distributor, has issued similar guidance.
The outbreak, which occurred between September 27 and October 11, has led to several hospitalizations and at least one lawsuit. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) indicated that the actual number of affected individuals is likely higher than reported, due to underreporting and the time it takes for illnesses to be confirmed and reported.
The incident underscores the importance of food safety and supply chain vigilance, especially for companies with expansive operations like McDonald's. Past E. coli outbreaks have significantly impacted sales at major fast-food chains, as consumers become wary of affected brands.
Financial ramifications are already being felt. Investment firm Baird downgraded its rating on McDonald's stock, citing potential declines in sales due to the loss of the Quarter Pounder from menus. With McDonald's set to release its quarterly earnings on Tuesday, analysts are closely watching for any signs of the outbreak's impact on the company's financial performance.
McDonald's had temporarily removed the Quarter Pounder from about 900 of its more than 14,000 U.S. locations, specifically in states that historically received onions from the implicated Taylor Farms facility. These states include Colorado, Kansas, Wyoming, and parts of Idaho, Iowa, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Mexico, Oklahoma, and Utah.
The company emphasized its commitment to customer safety and transparency throughout the investigation. "Out of an abundance of caution, we paused the sale of Quarter Pounders in certain locations," Mr. Pina said. "Now that we've identified the likely source of the issue and removed it, we're ready to serve our customers again."
As the fast-food industry grapples with the challenges of foodborne illnesses, McDonald's response highlights the delicate balance between swift action and maintaining customer confidence. The company's decision to pull a flagship product demonstrates the seriousness with which it approaches food safety concerns.
Customers can expect the return of the Quarter Pounder sans onions until the company deems it safe to reintroduce them. "Our priority is the health and safety of our customers," McDonald's stated. "We will continue to work closely with our suppliers and health authorities to ensure all products meet our high standards."
