McDonald’s said Wednesday that customers should feel confident ordering from its restaurants despite a deadly E. coli outbreak linked to its Quarter Pounders.
McDonald’s U.S. President Joe Erlinger said in an interview on the “Today” show that the company has removed the Quarter Pounder from its menu in the 10 states where dozens of people were sickened, as well as in several other states.
A preliminary investigation by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration suggests raw onions served on Quarter Pounders are a likely source of contamination, and McDonald’s said its initial findings suggest that some of the reported illnesses are linked to onions from a single supplier. The U.S. Department of Agriculture is investigating the hamburger meat.
“What’s important today is that we’ve taken the action to protect the American public and promote public health,” Erlinger said. “We’re confident that we’ll see our way through this and will restore confidence for the American consumer to come to McDonald’s.”