McDonald’s Quarter Pounder E. coli outbreak: 104 people sickened

The Food and Drug Administration said on Wednesday that the outbreak connected to the slivered onions on McDonald’s Quarter Pounders has sickened 104 people in 14 states.

Of those who have fallen ill, 34 were hospitalized; four people developed HUS, a condition that causes kidney failure; and one person died.

Officials spoke to 81 people who got sick and all but one said they ate at McDonalds while 75 knew exactly what they ate. Of those 75, 63 people ate something that had fresh slivered onions, the FDA said.

Of all the samples taken, one did not match the strain of E. coli connected to the outbreak, but more tests are pending.

The FDA also said it inspected Taylor Farms’ processing center in Colorado and an onion grower in Washington.

Taylor Farms recalled yellow onions on Oct. 22 and customers were told they should not sell or serve them.

McDonald’s paused serving the slivered onions but has started to use them again after getting a different supplier. The last illness was documented on Oct. 21.

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