McDonald’s president spoke about an E. coli outbreak connected to their quarter-pounder hamburgers, which resulted in one death.
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In a video statement on Wednesday, McDonald’s USA President Joe Erlinger announced that the Quarter Pounder and slivered onions will be removed from menus at select locations. This decision follows reports linking the burgers to at least 49 illnesses across 10 states, which included 10 hospitalizations and one death.
“Food safety is so important to me and everyone at McDonald’s,” Elinger added. “Today, after close consultation with regulatory authorities, including the CDC, USDA, and FDA, we’ve taken steps to proactively remove slivered onions, which are used in Quarter Pounders from restaurants in select states.”
“We also made the decision to temporarily remove the Quarter Pounder from restaurants in select states. The decision to do this is not one we take lightly, and it was made in close consultation with the CDC.”
So Far, Quarter Pounder Burgers Have Been Affected by the McDonald’s E. Coli Outbreak
Meanwhile, other popular beef products, such as the cheeseburger, hamburger, Big Mac, McDouble, and double cheeseburger, remain unaffected.
“I hope these steps demonstrate McDonald’s commitment to food safety. I also want to thank the teams working tirelessly to support this investigation,” Erlinger added in the video. “We will continue to update you on the actions we’re taking. At McDonald’s, you can count on us to do the right thing.”
The decision follows an E. coli outbreak affecting 10 states. The CDC reported on Tuesday that there have been 49 confirmed cases of illness, with the majority of those affected indicating they consumed Quarter Pounder hamburgers from McDonald’s.
According to the release, most of the illnesses are reported in Colorado and Nebraska. The agency reported that ten individuals have been hospitalized due to the outbreak. The victims also included a child diagnosed with hemolytic uremic syndrome.
Additionally, there has been one confirmed death of an older adult. The CDC described the investigation as “fast-moving.” They also confirmed that McDonald’s is cooperating with investigators to identify the ingredients responsible for the illnesses.
The FDA reports that McDonald’s has eliminated slivered onions and quarter-pound patties from its restaurants in Colorado, Kansas, Utah, Wyoming, and parts of Idaho. Affected states also include Iowa, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Mexico, and Oklahoma. Additionally, Quarter Pounder burgers may also be unavailable in other states.