The Burger King restaurant chain reported that it sources whole onions that are subsequently cut, peeled, and sliced at its establishments. On the other hand, McDonald's recalled a popular product from about 20% of its more than 13,000 locations in the United States, collaborating with health authorities to determine the origin of a possible contamination.
Chipotle Mexican Grill Inc. stated that it does not source onions from Taylor Farms or any other ingredient from the Colorado facility. Inspire Brands Inc., owner of Arby's, Buffalo Wild Wings, Sonic, Jimmy John's, Baskin-Robbins, and Dunkin', mentioned that the onions used do not come from its own facilities. Other companies such as Brands Inc. and Burger King have also removed onions from some of their locations following an E. coli outbreak initially detected at McDonald's Corp.
Yum removed fresh onions from certain Taco Bell, Pizza Hut, and KFC establishments "as a precaution," without specifying affected stores or suppliers. The company indicated it will follow its suppliers' guidelines to ensure food quality and safety. Burger King noted that part of its onions come from a facility in Colorado operated by Taylor Farms, a supplier associated with the affected McDonald's restaurants.
Taylor Farms recalled some batches of yellow onions from the market despite not having found traces of E. coli until Wednesday. Distributors such as US Foods Holding Corp. and Sysco Corp. have informed their customers about the recall of these products. Fat Brands Inc., owner of establishments like Johnny Rockets, removed all fresh onions from Taylor Farms from its locations.
The restaurant industry remains on alert following the announcement from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention that an E. coli outbreak linked to pre-sliced onions for McDonald's Quarter Pounder burgers has sickened several people in the U.S. and caused one death. As of the closing of this edition, no onions or other ingredients had been recalled from restaurants in New York.
