By Brian Myers
| Published
McDonald’s Quarter Pounder hamburgers, specifically the slivered onions and quarter-pound beef patties used in the popular fast food chain, have been linked to an outbreak of E. coli that has been reported in as many as nine states and has affected at least 50 people. One death has been blamed on the bacteria outbreak, which has the majority of its reported cases in the state of Colorado. The Centers for Disease Control is currently investigating the supply chain of the franchise’s ingredients to determine where the contamination is sourced from.
The Danger Of E. Coli
There are numerous strains of E. coli, and most of them are harmless to humans. However, the particular strain of the bacteria found in McDonald’s hamburgers, O157:H7, can be particularly dangerous. The bacteria release a toxin into the bloodstream that damages the intestinal lining, leading to the impacted person passing bloody stools. In many cases, the symptoms will become noticeable between two and five days after the tainted food or drink is ingested and persist for up to seven days afterward.
These symptoms range from mild to severe and include dehydration, fever, diarrhea, abdominal cramping, nausea, and fatigue. The worst cases include damage to the blood cells within the kidneys due to developing a condition called hemolytic uremic syndrome. This can lead to renal failure and possibly death.
The McDonald’s hamburger, which is the suspected culprit, is one of the chain’s most recognizable menu items. The CDC revealed that the people they interviewed after testing positive for E. coli poisoning had eaten a Quarter Pounder. It’s important to know that, while the CDC is testing the beef patties used for this specific sandwich for the bacteria, that the federal agency believes that it’s the slivered onions used on the burger that transmitted the contamination.
However, as beef patties are also known to carry E. coli, no one is taking any chances. The McDonald’s burger patties are being tested as a precaution and were pulled from the stores. The slivered onions that had contamination were short, Julienne-cut slices and not the diced ones used for other sandwiches.
McDonald’s has temporarily ceased selling any Quarter Pounder hamburgers and slivered onions across all the impacted states, but continues to sell its other hamburgers. Aside from Colorado, the staple item was pulled from stores in Kansas, Oklahoma, New Mexico, Nevada, Nebraska, Wyoming, Utah, Idaho, Montana, and Missouri.
A Widespread Problem
The E. coli bacteria isn’t usually severe enough to cause death or even hospitalization. The majority of affected persons recover on their own without any treatment at all, which leads some to speculate that there could well be a good deal more cases in the McDonald’s hamburger outbreak than the reported numbers show. However, the CDC and the Food and Drug Administration caution that anyone who has eaten a McDonald’s Quarter Pounder recently and has gotten severely ill should check in with a medical provider.
Additionally, the CDC stated that anyone who might have further questions about the McDonald’s hamburger E. coli outbreak can contact the Health Department of the state in which they live.
