Onions Are Off the Menu at Other Chains Following McD's Outbreak

The McDonald's E. coli outbreak is officially impacting other fast-food chains. McDonald's on Thursday identified the supplier of the onions that are suspected of sickening at least 49 people and killing one, and meanwhile, Burger King, KFC, Taco Bell, and Pizza Hut are all pulling onions from their menus at some locations, just in case, Reuters reports. A Burger King spokesperson says about 5% of the chain's locations are affected because they get onions from Taylor Farms, the supplier suspected of being the source of the outbreak, but added that BK has not received any reports of illnesses linked to its restaurants, nor has the company been contacted by health authorities. Yum Brands, which operates KFC, Taco Bell, and Pizza Hut, says it is pausing its use of onions at certain locations "out of an abundance of caution."

Taylor Farms is a California-based producer, and McDonald's says it sent onions to a distribution facility, which was not identified, and it's the sliced onions originating from that facility that are suspected of sickening people who consumed them as part of a Quarter Pounder hamburger, the AP reports. Meanwhile, Taylor Farms itself recalled several batches of yellow onions that came from a Colorado facility. Most illnesses so far have been reported in Colorado. (More McDonald's stories.)