In a food safety advisory issued Tuesday, the government said that 49 individuals in 10 states had reported infections following consumption of the fast-food chain’s Quarter Pounder hamburger.
There has been one recorded death and ten hospitalized individuals.
Colorado and Nebraska reported the majority of the infections.
CDC LINKS MCDONALD’S TO E. COLI OUTBREAK
In order to determine which ingredient in the Quarter Pounders is causing the disease, McDonald’s is collaborating with a number of health organizations, including the CDC, Food and Drug Administration (FDA), U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), and Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS).
Meanwhile, until the item is found, restaurants in several states have stopped using slivered onions and quarter-pound beef patties.
E. Coli: What is it?
According to the CDC, Escherichia coli, or E. coli, is a type of bacteria that can be found in food, the environment, and the intestines of both humans and animals.
E. coli is a widespread bacterium, according to Harry Kopolovich, MD, chairman of emergency medicine at Hackensack Meridian Jersey Shore University Medical Center.
