E. coli outbreak at McDonald’s in the US causes 1 death, 10 hospitalized

On October 22, the CDC announced that a serious E. coli infection incident related to McDonald’s had broken out in the United States. Currently, 49 people in 10 states have been infected with the same E. coli, 10 people have been hospitalized, 1 elderly person has died, and a child has been hospitalized due to complications of hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS). The CDC pointed out that all the patients interviewed said that they had eaten at McDonald’s before being infected, and specifically mentioned eating McDonald’s four-ounce beef burgers. At present, the specific ingredients related to the infection have not been determined, but investigators are particularly concerned about two ingredients: fresh onion shreds and fresh beef patties. On the same day, McDonald’s US President Joe Erlinger said in a video on the official website, “We are moving quickly to restore our entire menu in these states as soon as possible. I hope these measures can reflect McDonald’s commitment to food safety.” At the same time, McDonald’s issued an emergency response and temporarily withdrew the raw materials suspected to be related to the accident. The products involved will not be put on the shelves in some states. McDonald’s noted that preliminary results of the investigation indicate that some of the illnesses may be related to the shredded onions used in the four-ounce beef burgers, which are provided by a supplier and serve three distribution centers. In accordance with McDonald’s safety protocols, all local restaurants have been instructed to remove the product from their supply, and the distribution of all shredded onions in the affected areas has been suspended. Out of an abundance of caution, the four-ounce beef burgers will also be temporarily removed from restaurants in the affected areas. At the same time, all other menu options, including other beef products such as cheeseburgers, hamburgers, Big Macs, double McDonald’s and double cheeseburgers, are not affected and can be supplied. The CDC mentioned in the announcement that most people infected with E. coli experience symptoms such as severe stomach cramps, diarrhea (often bloody) and vomiting. Symptoms usually begin 3 to 4 days after exposure to the bacteria, and most people recover without treatment in 5 to 7 days. Some people may develop severe kidney problems and require hospitalization. In the past, there have been reports of multiple cases of E. coli infections in McDonald’s U.S. restaurants. According to foreign media reports, at least six children in Alabama, USA, developed symptoms consistent with E. coli poisoning after eating McDonald’s McNuggets Happy Meals in 2022. Four of the six children were hospitalized due to severe adverse reactions.