On May 1, 2024, a sign is placed in front of a Taco Bell restaurant in Richmond, California.
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Yum brands has pulled onions from some Taco Bell, KFC and Pizza Hut locations following an E. coli outbreak linked to McDonald's.
“As we continue to monitor the recently reported E. coli outbreak, and out of an abundance of caution, we have proactively removed fresh onions from select Taco Bell, Pizza Hut and KFC restaurants,” a Yum Brands spokesperson said in a statement to CNBC. . “We will continue to follow guidelines from suppliers and regulators to ensure the continued safety and quality of our food.”
Restaurant supplier American foods on Wednesday issued a recall for four onion products produced by Taylor Farms. It is unclear whether Yum has removed the onions from select locations in response to the recall.
US Foods does not distribute onions for McDonald's restaurants, and the hamburger chain has not publicly named Taylor Farms as a supplier. Taylor Farms did not respond to CNBC's request for comment.
Health authorities are currently investigating the source of the E. coli outbreak, which has resulted in one death and 49 confirmed cases in 10 states, including Colorado, Nebraska and Wyoming. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention interviewed 18 people, 14 of whom recalled eating a McDonald's Quarter Pounder burger on Tuesday.
In response to the outbreak, McDonald's has removed Quarter Pounders from about a fifth of its U.S. restaurants. The research focused on two ingredients in the burgers: the fresh beef patties and the sliced onions.
McDonald's says the affected restaurants all source their onions from one factory, which washes and cuts the onions. The beef patties, on the other hand, come from several suppliers in the region. If cooked to internal standards, the temperature would kill any E. coli in the patty.
-CNBCs Kate Rogers contributed reporting for this story.