E. coli outbreak at McDonald's in the U.S. causes death; onions suspected. Taiwan assures: ingredients are safe. | WPN World People News

On the 25th, U.S. authorities announced that the outbreak of serious E. coli linked to McDonald's four-ounce beef burgers has expanded, with a total of 75 reported cases, primarily in the western United States.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) stated on the 22nd that the "four-ounce beef burger" from McDonald's has been contaminated with E. coli, resulting in 49 cases across 10 states, with ages ranging from 13 to 88 years, including 10 hospitalizations and 1 death. The CDC initially suspects that the source of contamination may be the onions used in the burgers.

In the 13 states where cases have been reported, McDonald's restaurants have temporarily removed the four-ounce beef burger from their menu but continue to offer other items, including beef burgers. The supplier of McDonald's onions, Taylor Farms, located in California, has also initiated an urgent recall of multiple batches of onions produced at their California facility starting on the 23rd.

In response, McDonald's Taiwan issued a statement indicating that the shredded onions used in their four-ounce beef burgers are sourced from New Zealand, while the beef patties come from Paraguay and New Zealand/Australia, all of which are different from the sources in the United States. According to the supplier's self-inspection report, all ingredients meet relevant standards.