McDonald's linked to one death and dozens of food poisoning cases in the US | Eat

Health officials say at least 49 people have become sick after an E. coli outbreak linked to McDonald's quarter-pounders.

An E. coli outbreak linked to McDonald's quarter-pound hamburgers has sickened dozens of people in the United States, including one fatally, health officials said.

At least 49 people have fallen ill in 10 states, with most cases concentrated in Colorado and Nebraska, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said Tuesday.

Most people who got sick said they ate the quarter pounder hamburger at McDonald's before they got sick, the CDC said.

Health authorities have yet to determine the specific ingredient that may have caused the outbreak.

“McDonald's is working with investigative partners to determine which food ingredient in Quarter Pounders is making people sick,” the CDC said in a statement.

“McDonald's has stopped using fresh onion slices and quarter-pound beef patties in several states while the investigation to identify the pathogenic ingredient is ongoing.”

Shares of McDonald's fell about 9 percent in after-hours trading.

Joe Erlinger, president of McDonald's USA, said most states and most menu items were unaffected.

“Food safety is so important to me and everyone at McDonald’s,” Erlinger said in a video statement.

“We have taken steps to proactively remove cut onions used in Quarter Pounders in select states. We have also decided to temporarily remove the Quarter Pounder from restaurants in select states.”

“We will continue to keep you updated on the actions we are taking,” Erlinger added.

“At McDonald’s, you can count on us to do the right thing.”

The news follows a difficult year for the fast food giant.

In July, the Chicago-based chain reported its first decline in quarterly same-store sales in about four years as customers stayed away for reasons ranging from rising inflation to the brand's alleged support for Israel during its Gaza war.

Chief Executive Chris Kempczinski warned earlier this month that 2025 would be “another challenging year” for the company as lower-income customers are expected to face stretched wallets well into next year.