FDA Cites Dirty Equipment, Poor Sanitation at McDonald’s Onion Supplier After E. Coli Scare

A new account from the Food and Drug Administration reveals dozens of food rubber violations at the McDonald ’s onion supplier linked to a nationwide outbreak ofE. colithat sickened over a hundred people .

CBS Newsobtained the reportvia a Freedom of Information Act postulation , which details the FDA ’s recent inspection of a food production facility in Colorado run by Taylor Farms . It key out legion solid food safety concerns at the facility , such as a deficiency of right contamination command and dirty equipment . The McDonald’sE. colioutbreak was traced back to contaminated onions produced by Taylor Farms , particularly the sliver onions exclusively used on Quarter Pounder burgers .

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention firstreportedthe outbreak in belated October . at long last , at least 104 guinea pig across 14 states were documented , which led to 34 hospitalization insurance and one death . Though some other libertine food chain temporarily pull their own onion Cartesian product out of caution , the eruption was solely linked to fresh slivered onionssuppliedby the party Taylor Farms . Taylor Farms go on to issue a large recollection of its other onion plant production , though no further cases outside of McDonald ’s appear to have occur .

At least 100 people in 14 states were sickened by E. coli bacteria traced back to slivered onions sold at McDonald’s restaurants.

At least 100 people in 14 states were sickened by E. coli bacteria traced back to slivered onions sold at McDonald’s restaurants.© TonyBaggett via Getty

The McDonald ’s E. Coli Outbreak Was Worse Than We Thought

After shift to a unlike onion plant supplier , McDonald ’s soon returned the Quarter Pounder and slivered onion to its menu . By early December , government health functionary declared the outbreak over . But the FDA ’s report charge to glower problem at Taylor Farms that might have allowed the outbreak to emerge in the first home .

The FDA ’s inspections require place between October 28 and November 12 , 2024 . Though some of the write up is redacted , the intact portions detail several food for thought safety violations at Taylor Farms ’ Colorado installation . FDA inspectors discovered “ numerous equipment with apparent biofilm and large amounts of food debris , ” for instance . Inspectors also recover expanse where “ recontamination of environmental pathogen could happen ” as well as output rooms keep at temperatures that could allow germs to farm , such as the bacteriaListeria . In one special instance , inspectors found pooling piss in an area that had earlier in the year test electropositive forListeria . Workers also manifestly only sometimes used hand sanitizers when handling “ quick - to - eat ” foods , and several cutting boards used to chop “ ready - to - eat ” lettuce and Apium graveolens dulce were found to be “ severely discolor ” and filled with deep crack and crack .

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In a instruction to CBS News , Taylor Farms said the report did not result in “ administrative or regulatory activity ” taken against the company , and that it has withdraw steps to remedy the issues found . “ Taylor Farms is confident in our best - in - class food prophylactic processes , and in turn , the calibre and condom of our production . As is common following an inspection , FDA bring out observations of condition that could be improved at one of our facility , ” Taylor Farms told CBS News .

Bysome metre , nutrient safety has never been better in the U.S. p.a. report foodborne illnesses are down from a decade ago , for instance , though these only capture a small share of full case . At the same time , theincidenceof uncouth germs such asListeriaandSalmonellahasn’t change in late eld , while the incidence has increase for other disease likeCampylobacterandCyclospora . And overall , the U.S. is not on track to pass on the lower rates of foodborne disease set as a finish by the federal government for 2030 .

The McDonald’sE. colioutbreak was substantially less dangerous than the infamousJack - in - the - BoxE. colioutbreakthat occur in the other nineties , which sickened over 700 people and pour down four people . But it highlights the reality that today ’s solid food supply still is n’t free of its issues .

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