FDA Cites Soiled Gear, Poor Sanitation at McDonald’s Onion Provider After E. Coli Scare

A brand new report from the Meals and Drug Administration reveals dozens of meals security violations on the McDonald’s onion provider linked to a nationwide outbreak of E. coli that sickened over 100 individuals.

CBS Information obtained the report through a Freedom of Info Act request, which particulars the FDA’s latest inspection of a meals manufacturing facility in Colorado run by Taylor Farms. It describes quite a few meals security issues on the facility, comparable to a scarcity of correct contamination management and soiled tools. The McDonald’s E. coli outbreak was traced again to contaminated onions produced by Taylor Farms, significantly the slivered onions solely used on Quarter Pounder burgers.

The U.S. Facilities for Illness Management and Prevention first reported the outbreak in late October. In the end, at the least 104 instances throughout 14 states have been documented, which led to 34 hospitalizations and one loss of life. Although another quick meals chains quickly pulled their very own onion merchandise out of warning, the outbreak was solely linked to recent slivered onions supplied by the corporate Taylor Farms. Taylor Farms went on to challenge a big recall of its different onion merchandise, although no additional instances outdoors of McDonald’s appeared to have occurred.

After switching to a distinct onion provider, McDonald’s quickly returned the Quarter Pounder and slivered onions to its menu. By early December, authorities well being officers declared the outbreak over. However the FDA’s report factors to obvious issues at Taylor Farms which may have allowed the outbreak to emerge within the first place.

The FDA’s inspections befell between October 28 and November 12, 2024. Although among the report is redacted, the intact parts element a number of meals security violations at Taylor Farms’ Colorado facility. FDA inspectors found “quite a few tools with obvious biofilm and enormous quantities of meals particles,” for example. Inspectors additionally discovered areas the place “recontamination of environmental pathogens might happen” in addition to manufacturing rooms saved at temperatures that would enable germs to develop, such because the micro organism Listeria. In a single explicit occasion, inspectors discovered pooling water in an space that had earlier within the 12 months examined optimistic for Listeria. Staff additionally apparently solely generally used hand sanitizers when dealing with “ready-to-eat” meals, and several other slicing boards used to cut “ready-to-eat” lettuce and celery have been discovered to be “severely discolored” and stuffed with deep cracks and crevices.

In a press release to CBS Information, Taylor Farms stated the report didn’t lead to “administrative or regulatory motion” taken in opposition to the corporate, and that it has taken steps to treatment the problems discovered. “Taylor Farms is assured in our best-in-class meals security processes, and in flip, the standard and security of our merchandise. As is widespread following an inspection, FDA issued observations of circumstances that may very well be improved at one in all our amenities,” Taylor Farms advised CBS Information.

By some measures, meals security has by no means been higher within the U.S. Yearly reported foodborne diseases are down from a decade in the past, for example, although these solely seize a small proportion of whole instances. On the similar time, the incidence of widespread germs comparable to Listeria and Salmonella hasn’t modified lately, whereas the incidence has elevated for different ailments like Campylobacter and Cyclospora. And total, the U.S. is just not on monitor to achieve the decrease charges of foodborne illness set as a purpose by the federal authorities for 2030.

The McDonald’s E. coli outbreak was considerably much less harmful than the notorious Jack-in-the-Box E. coli outbreak that occurred within the early Nineteen Nineties, which sickened over 700 individuals and killed 4 individuals. However it highlights the truth that at the moment’s meals provide nonetheless isn’t freed from its points.