The US closes the investigation into the case of an E. coli outbreak in McDonald's hamburger onions. Health authorities have determined that there is no longer a risk to consumer safety.
The United States government announced Tuesday that it has closed its investigation into a E. coli outbreak linked to McDonald's quarter-pounder burgers after determining that a safety risk no longer exists.
The outbreak, which began in late October, sickened at least 104 people in 14 states, including 34 who were hospitalized, according to the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA). One person in Colorado died and four people developed a life-threatening kidney complication.
The FDA, which conducted the investigation alongside the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and state health departments, linked the outbreak to onions distributed by Taylor Farms, based in California, and served fresh on quarter-pounder burgers at McDonald's restaurants in Colorado, Kansas, Wyoming and other states. Taylor Farms initiated a voluntary recall of yellow onions on October 22.
Federal and state health officials in Colorado did not find the strain of E. coli that caused the illnesses in the onions they tested or in any environmental samples. But they concluded that testing indicated that the recalled yellow onions were the likely source of the outbreak.
“McDonald's is no longer serving recalled onions and there does not appear to be an ongoing food safety concern related to this outbreak,” the FDA said Tuesday in a statement.
McDonald's temporarily removed quarter-pound burgers from a fifth of its U.S. stores as a result of the outbreak. The company found an alternative supplier and resumed selling the shredded onion burgers in all U.S. stores last month.
However, the outbreak has affected demand. In mid-November, McDonald's said it planned to spend $100 million to lure customers back to stores, including $65 million that will go directly to hard-hit franchises.