National Onion Association responds to McDonald's deadly E. coli outbreak

EATON, Colo. (KDVR) — Colorado’s onion industry is reacting to an investigation into the source of an E. coli outbreak at McDonald’s restaurants that resulted in one death in Colorado and 49 reported illnesses nationwide.

The Centers for Disease Control reports the outbreak affected 10 states with a total of 49 cases, more than half in nine counties in Colorado.

The Food and Drug Administration and other health agencies are investigating whether the contamination originated from ground beef, onions or any other ingredients used in the company’s Quarter Pounder sandwiches.

The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment suspects all McDonald’s locations in the state received ingredients from the same suppliers.

“This is an active investigation, so we expect these numbers to change as more cases are identified," CDPHE told the FOX31 Problem Solvers.

The CDC says it can take 3 to 4 weeks to determine if a reported illness is actually part of the McDonald’s outbreak. McDonald’s pulled its Quarter Pounder from stores in Colorado and at least four other states.

The Problem Solvers looked into concerns about onions, which make up Colorado’s second-largest crop after potatoes.

“Consumers should feel safe going to the grocery store and getting onions,” National Onion Association Chief Executive Greg Yielding told FOX31.

The processing chain linked to the beef and onions used by McDonald’s is being closely investigated.

"It has no effect on onions at the grocery store no effect on onions (or) any other food service it would have to be the specific slivered onions from a specific processor for it to be involved,” said Yielding.

Colorado State University food safety expert Eduardo Gutierrez-Rodriguez told FOX31 E. coli contamination can be spread in several different ways.

“You’re growing something in a field or in a greenhouse and then it gets contaminated that’s one route, another route is you are basically harvesting, processing it and putting it in a bag,” he said.

Gutierrez-Rodriguez added that contamination is possible in both commercial and home environments.

“It can happen during transport or it can happen when you are at home handling the food,” he said.

Gutierrez-Rodriguez emphasizes that regardless of where your ingredients come from, it is important to cook food thoroughly and take steps to prevent cross-contamination like using separate cutting boards and utensils for meat and fresh produce and separating fruits from vegetables.