Food safety alert
New as of 11/13: Affected onions served at McDonald's locations were recalled and are past shelf life. Our investigation remains open to investigate any other illnesses which occurred when the onions were available at McDonald’s. CDC continues to believe the risk to the public is low.
Fast Facts
United States
- Cases: 104 (14 new)
- Hospitalizations: 34 (7 new)
- Deaths: 1 (0 new)
- States: 14 (1 new)
New as of 11/13: Affected onions served at McDonald's locations were recalled and are past shelf life. Our investigation remains open to investigate any other illnesses which occurred when the onions were available at McDonald’s. CDC continues to believe the risk to the public is low.
Situation summary
CDC, FDA, and public health officials in multiple states are investigating an outbreak of E. coli O157:H7 infections. Most people in this outbreak reported eating the Quarter Pounder hamburger at McDonald's before getting sick.
Epidemiologic and traceback information show that fresh, slivered onions are the likely source of illness in this outbreak. Taylor Farms, the supplier of slivered onions to the affected McDonald's locations also recalled onions. Food service businesses were contacted directly by Taylor Farms. These onions are past their shelf life and are not available for sale. The likelihood of contaminated onions still being available for sale is low.
Recalled food
Slivered onions served on McDonald's Quarter Pounder hamburgers made people sick.
- Most sick people in this outbreak reported eating a McDonald's menu item containing fresh, slivered onions before they got sick.
- McDonald's pulled fresh, slivered onions and fresh quarter pound beef patties while a specific food ingredient was being determined as the source of illness. That likely source is now believed to be onions.
Taylor Farms recalled yellow onions
- Food service operators were contacted directly and told not to sell or serve recalled onions.
- The onions were only distributed to food service businesses, such as restaurants. It is not likely that recalled onions went to grocery stores or directly to consumers.
What you should do
Because these onions were recalled and are no longer available for sale to food service operators, it is not necessary to avoid eating onions or other foods made with onions.
Call your healthcare provider if you have severe E. coli symptoms:
- Diarrhea and a fever higher than 102°F
- Diarrhea for more than 3 days that is not improving
- Bloody diarrhea
- Diarrhea for more than 3 days that is not improving
- So much vomiting that you cannot keep liquids down
- Signs of dehydration, such as:
- Not peeing much
- Dry mouth and throat
- Feeling dizzy when standing up
- Not peeing much
What businesses should do
- Food service operators should not sell, eat, or serve Taylor Farms recalled yellow onions.
Symptoms of E. coli
- Most people infected with Shiga toxin-producing E. coli experience severe stomach cramps, diarrhea (often bloody), and vomiting.
- Symptoms usually start 3 to 4 days after swallowing the bacteria.
- Most people recover without treatment after 5 to 7 days.
- Symptoms usually start 3 to 4 days after swallowing the bacteria.
- Some people may develop serious kidney problems (hemolytic uremic syndrome, also called HUS) and would need to be hospitalized.
- For more information about E. coli, see the About Escherichia coli Infection page