McDonald’s E. coli outbreak: Taylor Farms says products safe

OAKLAND, Calif. - Taylor Farms, a California-based grower tied to a deadly E. coli outbreak involving McDonald’s Quarter Pounders, insists its products currently on the market are safe.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration's preliminary investigation pointed to fresh slivered raw onions used on Quarter Pounders as the E. coli source, which has sickened at least 75 people across 13 states.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said that 22 people have been hospitalized for E. coli O157:H7 and two developed a dangerous kidney disease complication. There has been one death in Colorado.

McDonald's attributed the contaminated onions to supplier Taylor Farms, based in Salinas, and said the onions were sent to one of its distribution facilities, without specifying which one.

In a statement to KTVU, Taylor Farms underscored the safety of its products.

"As a family-owned business, we take pride in providing safe, healthy fresh foods to people every day. It saddens us to see the illnesses and affected individuals and families from the current E. coli O157:H7 outbreak. Our thoughts and prayers go out to the individuals and their families impacted. Our priority remains the health and safety of our consumers," the company said. Adding, "We continue to work with CDC and FDA who are investigating the source of the outbreak. All Taylor Farms products in the market today are safe to consume."

U.S. Foods, a major wholesaler to restaurants across the country, said Thursday that Taylor Farms had issued a recall this week for peeled whole and diced yellow onions for potential E. coli contamination. The recalled onions came from a Taylor Farms facility in Colorado, a U.S. Foods spokesperson said. But the wholesaler also noted that it wasn't a McDonald's supplier and that its recall didn't include any products sold at the fast-food chain's restaurants.

Colorado has seen the highest number of cases associated with the outbreak, including the one fatality.

McDonald's, with over 14,000 locations in the U.S. and serving millions of Quarter Pounders weekly, has withdrawn the item from its menus in Colorado, Kansas, Utah, Wyoming, and some parts of Idaho, Iowa, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Mexico, and Oklahoma.