At least 49 people have become sick following an E. coli outbreak linked to McDonald’s Quarter Pounders, health officials said.
An E. coli outbreak linked to McDonald’s Quarter Pounder hamburgers has sickened dozens of people in the U.S., including one death, health officials said.
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said Tuesday that at least 49 people in 10 states have become sick, with most cases concentrated in Colorado and Nebraska.
Most people who got sick reported eating a quarter-pound hamburger from McDonald’s before getting sick, the CDC said.
Health officials have not yet identified the specific ingredient that may have caused the outbreak.
“McDonald’s is working with our research partners to determine which food ingredients in the Quarter Pounder are making people sick,” the CDC said in a statement.
“McDonald’s has suspended the use of quarter-pound beef patties with sliced fresh onions in several states while an investigation is underway to determine the ingredient causing the illness.”
McDonald’s shares fell about 9% in after-hours trading.
McDonald’s USA President Joe Erlinger said most states and most menu items were not affected.
“Food safety is very important to me and everyone at McDonald’s,” Erlinger said in a video statement.
“We have taken steps to proactively eliminate sliced onions used in quarter pounders in some states. Additionally, some states have decided to temporarily remove the Quarter Pounder from restaurants.”
“We will keep you updated on the steps we are taking,” Erlinger added.
“At McDonald’s, you can trust us to do the right thing.”
The news comes after a difficult year for the fast food giant.
In July, the Chicago-based chain reported its first low quarterly same-store sales in nearly four years as customers walked away for a variety of reasons ranging from rising inflation to the brand’s perceived support for Israel during the war in Gaza. reported to have decreased.
Earlier this month, Chief Executive Chris Kempczinski warned that 2025 would be “another challenging year” for the company as lower-income customers’ wallets are expected to increase over the next year.
