 "McDonald's shells out $100 mn to deal with E. coli outbreak fallout, reel in customers")
McDonald’s is allocating $100 million to restore customer confidence following an E. coli outbreak linked to slivered onions on its Quarter Pounder hamburgers.
The initiative includes $65 million designated for the most affected franchises, the company announced.
The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention identified slivered onions on Quarter Pounders as the probable source of the E. coli contamination.
The outbreak resulted in at least 104 illnesses and 34 hospitalisations, according to federal health officials.
Taylor Farms in California, one of McDonald’s suppliers, recalled onions potentially linked to the outbreak.
Impact on McDonald’s
The Food and Drug Administration stated that “there does not appear to be a continued food safety concern related to this outbreak at McDonald’s restaurants.”
The outbreak negatively impacted the company’s sales. Quarter Pounders were temporarily removed from menus in several states during the initial phase of the outbreak.
McDonald’s subsequently secured an alternative supplier for the 900 restaurants that had halted serving the burgers with onions. Over the past week, the company resumed nationwide sales of Quarter Pounders with slivered onions.
What is E. coli? How does it get on farm produce?
Escherichia coli (E. coli) is a bacterium commonly found in the intestines of humans and animals. While most strains are harmless, certain types, such as E. coli O157, can cause severe foodborne illness. Symptoms typically include stomach cramps, diarrhea (often bloody), and vomiting.
In some cases, particularly among young children and the elderly, infection can lead to hemolytic uremic syndrome, a serious condition that may cause kidney failure.
E. coli contamination in produce like romaine lettuce and onions often occurs through exposure to fecal matter of animals.
For instance, there could be a cattle ranch or a pigsty near where the produce is grown. The fecal matter of one of the animals infected by E. coli could get mixed with the water used for irrigating the crops and affect the produce.
Impact Shorts
More ShortsNotably, romaine lettuce has been associated with multiple E. coli outbreaks in recent years, leading to widespread recalls.
Fresh produce is particularly vulnerable because it is frequently consumed raw, bypassing the cooking process that would eliminate pathogens
With inputs from Reuters
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