McDonald's is investing $100 million to “accelerate the recovery and support the most impacted franchisees.” E. coli food poisoning outbreak Onions have been linked to the fast-food giant's Quarter Pounder hamburger, the company told CBS News in a statement Saturday.
The company also told CBS News, “A total of $65 million will be invested in supporting franchisees who have lost business, targeting the states that were most impacted.”
The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has said that chopped onions on Quarter Pounders were the likely source of E. coli. Taylor Farms in California recalled onions potentially linked to the outbreak.
The E. coli outbreak has sickened 104 people in 14 states, federal health officials said in a statement Updated on Wednesday.
At least 34 people have been hospitalized, and four have developed hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS), a serious condition that can lead to kidney failure. An 88-year-old man who lived in grand junctionColorado, died, as previously reported. Illnesses began in late September, and the most recent onset of illness occurred on October 21. To U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
The Food and Drug Administration has stated that “there do not appear to be any continuing food safety concerns related to this outbreak at McDonald's restaurants.”
However, the outbreak hurt the company's sales.
Quarter Pounders were removed from menus in many states in the early days of the outbreak.
In a statement obtained by CBS News on Wednesday, McDonald's said it has found an “alternative supplier” for about 900 restaurants that have temporarily stopped serving Quarter Pounders with chopped onions.
“Over the past week, these restaurants resumed selling the Quarter Pounder burger with chopped onions,” McDonald's said.