McDonald’s resumes Quarter Pounder sales following E. coli clearance

McDonald’s announced on Sunday it would resume sales of its Quarter Pounder hamburgers after the Colorado Department of Agriculture (CDA) found no presence of E. coli in its beef patties, clearing the way for the item’s return to menus in affected states.

The fast-food chain had temporarily halted Quarter Pounder sales in a dozen U.S. states last week after an outbreak linked to the burgers sent dozens to the hospital and resulted in one fatality. Tests conducted by the CDA found no trace of the E. coli bacteria in McDonald’s Quarter Pounder beef patties, and the agency has no plans for further testing, the company said in a statement.

The source of the outbreak is still under investigation, with slivered onions suspected as a potential carrier. In response, McDonald’s has indefinitely suspended its onion supplier, Taylor Farms, whose facility in Colorado Springs distributed onions to around 900 stores. As a precaution, these locations will now serve Quarter Pounders without onions.

“The issue appears to be contained to a particular ingredient and geography, and we remain very confident that any contaminated product related to this outbreak has been removed from our supply chain,” McDonald’s stated.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) urged those who recently consumed a Quarter Pounder and developed symptoms of E. coli infection — including diarrhea, bloody diarrhea, high fever, and vomiting — to seek immediate medical attention. E. coli symptoms generally appear within three to four days of exposure and often resolve within a week, though severe cases may require hospitalization.