McDonald's suspends burger sales in the US after bacterial outbreak causes one death

McDonald's announced the temporary suspension of sales of the Quarter Pounder burger, known in Brazil as “Quarteirão”, in 10 states in the United States. The measure was adopted as a precaution, after health authorities identified the possibility of a bacterial outbreak associated with the consumption of this snack. The company, in cooperation with health authorities, is investigating the source of the problem to ensure consumer safety.

So far, there are no records of similar cases in Brazil, and the restaurant chain stated that it is monitoring the situation closely to take appropriate action, if necessary.

This Tuesday (22), the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported that one person died and 48 others became ill. At least 10 clients needed to be hospitalized.

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Authorities are investigating an outbreak of E. coli bacteria, which can cause digestive infections. All of the people who fell ill said they felt sick after eating McDonald's snacks, with the majority having eaten the Quarter Pounder.

Emergence of cases

The cases occurred between the end of September and the beginning of October in the states of Colorado, Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Oregon, Utah, Wisconsin and Wyoming.

Mc Donald's reported that a preliminary investigation suggests that the cases may be related to the sliced ​​onions used in the snack. The possible contaminated ingredient is supplied by a single distributor that supplies three distribution centers in the network.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture is also scrutinizing the meat used in burgers. As a preventive measure, the chain recalled all sliced ​​onions and burgers used in the production of the Quarter Pounder in the affected states.

McDonald's statement

“We take food safety very seriously, and this is the right action to take”, declared the company in a statement.

Symptoms of E. coli infection include severe abdominal cramps, diarrhea and vomiting. In most cases, signs of infection appear approximately three days after consuming contaminated food or drink.

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