A food safety alert has been issued after a popular McDonald’s menu item was linked to an E. coli outbreak in multiple states across the country.
The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced on Oct. 22 that public health officials are currently investigating the outbreak after most people affected reported that they ate McDonald’s Quarter Pounder hamburgers prior to falling ill.
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The majority of the affected people are in Colorado and Nebraska, and a statement issued by McDonald’s says that it is believed that the affected ingredients were “sourced by a single supplier that serves three distribution centers.”
At the time of publication, a specific ingredient that caused the illness had not been isolated by authorities, but because “quarter pound beef patties are only used on Quarter Pounders” and “fresh slivered onions are primarily used on Quarter Pounder hamburgers and not other menu items,” the chain believes it has narrowed down the possible source.