USA – The largest fast food chain in the world McDonald’s has halted the sale of Quarter Pounder burgers at 20% of its locations across the US.

McDonald’s has pulled its Quarter Pounder burgers from select U.S. locations following an E. coli outbreak linked to the product that has impacted ten states, resulting in one death and 50 illnesses.

Outlets in Colorado, Kansas, Utah, Wyoming, and parts of Idaho, Iowa, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Mexico, and Oklahoma are affected by the removal, according to the Associated Press.

The decision came after the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) identified the Quarter Pounder as the likely source of the outbreak.

McDonald’s U.S. President Joe Erlinger addressed the incident on NBC’s Today Show, stating that restoring consumer confidence is the company’s immediate priority. He also noted that the contaminant in question had already moved through McDonald’s supply chain.

No McDonald’s locations have been closed in connection with the outbreak, and government investigations have not found any issues with the company’s food preparation processes.

Preliminary findings from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) indicate that fresh slivered onions used in the Quarter Pounders may be responsible for the contamination.

These raw onions are also used in breakfast sandwiches that are not available in the impacted regions, while other menu items, such as the Big Mac, use diced, cooked onions. McDonald’s is currently in search of a new regional supplier for fresh onions.

Since learning of the outbreak last week, McDonald’s has worked closely with federal food safety officials. The chain, which serves over a million Quarter Pounders biweekly in affected areas, announced the decision a week before its earnings release.

With its quarterly earnings report on the horizon, investors are expected to watch for the impact of the company’s $5 summer value meal, which runs through December, on customer traffic.

Analysts project a slight rise in third-quarter revenue to US$6.8 billion, up from nearly US$6.7 billion last year, while profits are expected to fall by around US$20 million to US$2.3 billion.

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