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McDonald’s has announced that its popular Quarter Pounder burgers will be returning to restaurants impacted by a recent E. coli outbreak. The news came during a media briefing on Sunday, where the fast-food chain confirmed that Quarter Pounder beef samples tested negative for E. coli, according to the Colorado Department of Agriculture.
McDonald’s Chief Supply Chain Officer for North America, Cesar Piña, explained that the contamination was traced to a specific ingredient and location, ruling out beef as the source. “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 and is out of all McDonald’s restaurants,” Piña said in a statement.
The outbreak led McDonald’s to pull Quarter Pounders from 900 restaurants in several states. The burger will return to menus in the coming week but without slivered onions at locations where Taylor Farms, a Colorado Springs-based supplier, provided them. The Food and Drug Administration is continuing its investigation into the facility.
The restaurants that will be offering Quarter Pounders again are in Colorado, Kansas, Utah, and Wyoming, with other areas, including Idaho, Missouri, and Nevada, expected to follow soon. McDonald’s is working with beef suppliers to ensure fresh beef supplies are available for the returning menu item. However, the exact day of the burger’s return has not yet been announced.
The E. coli outbreak has affected 75 people across 13 states as of October 24, with 22 hospitalizations and one death reported in Colorado. The hardest-hit states are Colorado, Montana, and Nebraska, with other states reporting fewer cases. Two individuals also developed a severe condition called hemolytic uremic syndrome, which can lead to kidney failure. Experts have warned that the number of cases could rise as the investigation continues.
