McDonald’s broke their silence on the recent E.coli outbreak that left one person dead and many others sick.
According to reports, the fast-food chain removed one of its signature items off of its menu, the Quarter pounder in restaurants mostly in Nebraska and Colorado. “Serving customers safely in every single restaurant, each and every day, is our top priority and something we’ll never compromise on,” Cesar Piña, the McDonald’s North America Chief Supply Chain Officer, said in a statement.
He continued, “It is why we are taking swift and decisive action following an E.Coli outbreak in certain states.” Although the fast-food chain has released a statement, the CDC has not confirmed which foods were affected but they believe it may be the onions that were contaminated.
Piña added, “The initial findings from the investigation indicate that a subset of illnesses may be linked to slivered onion used in the Quarter Pounder and sourced by a single supplier that serves three distribution centers. As a result, and in line with our safety protocols, all local restaurants have been instructed to remove this product from their supply and we have paused the distribution of all slivered onions in the impacted area.”
There have been 49 reported cases of the outbreak, but the CDC believes that the actual number of sick people is more than reported. People who have been affected by the outbreak have experienced a fever over 102, severe stomach cramps, vomiting, and diarrhea.
According to Piña, they will continue to work with the CDC and provide updates as they restore the menu.