American quick-service restaurants eliminate onions from their offerings
After an E. coli outbreak in the USA, officials linked to the event the consumption of a particular McDonald's burger. Due to this, several fast-food chains decided to take fresh onions off their menus at certain locations, including brands such as KFC, Pizza Hut, Taco Bell, and Burger King, according to reports from the "Washington Post" and NBC.
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is currently conducting an investigation, and initial results indicate that sliced onions utilized in McDonald's Quarter Pounder burgers, similar to the Royal Cheeseburger, could be the cause of the outbreak.
As a result, McDonald's appears to have temporarily taken the Quarter Pounder and sliced onions, partially or entirely, off their menus in 12 states, as stated by the FDA. At least one of the burger giant's suppliers has also decided to remove several onion products from its range. NBC reports that two lawsuits against McDonald's has already been filed in Nebraska.
The outbreak occurred after 49 individuals in ten states reported E. coli infections, with one fatality, between September 27 and October 11. Certain strains of E. coli can lead to serious illnesses like kidney failure, the Federal Institute for Risk Assessment notes. Symptoms of severe illness typically include intense stomach cramps, bloody diarrhea, and vomiting, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
The FDA's investigation suggests that the outbreaks of coliforms might be linked to the sliced onions used in McDonald's Quarter Pounder burgers. Several lawsuits against McDonald's have been filed due to these coliform outbreaks, as reported by NBC.
