McDonald’s has ruled out beef patties as the source of an E. coli outbreak linked to its Quarter Pounder hamburgers, which has resulted in one death and nearly 75 illnesses, Reuters reports.
The Colorado Department of Agriculture confirmed that all samples of McDonald’s fresh and frozen beef patties tested negative for E. coli. McDonald’s Chief Supply Chain Officer Cesar Pina expressed confidence that any contaminated products have been removed from the supply chain. The fast-food chain plans to resume the distribution of the Quarter Pounder in the coming week.
McDonald’s has pulled the Quarter Pounder from about 20% of its US restaurants in various states, including Colorado, Kansas, and Utah. Affected locations have temporarily removed raw slivered onions from the burger, as they are believed to be the likely source of the outbreak.
