Fresh onions supplied by a California-based produce distributor could be the culprit to a deadly E. coli food poisoning outbreak that has victimized McDonald’s customers in parts of the United States.

As this developed, other fast food outlets in the United States have started pulling out onions from food menus. Among these are Taco Bell, Pizza Hut, KFC and Burger King.

McDonald’s officials reportedly believe that the E. Coli contamination may have been linked to slivered onions that California-based Taylor Farms deliver.

The popular fastfood chain quickly pulled Quarter Pounder hamburgers that contained onions as ingredients from the menu of thousands of restaurants in several states in the United States.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) confirmed that victims were infected with E.Coli 0157:H7. Symptoms include fever, vomiting, diarrhea or bloody diarrhea and dehydration.

The bacteria reportedly produce a dangerous toxin that have caused infections to an average 74,000 people annually. Deaths have averaged 61 each year.
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At least one person has died while at least 50 were hospitalized or suffered severe symptoms after visiting McDonald’s stores located in ten states.

The hamburger outlet’s management responded to the incidents by immediately cancelling quarter pounder burgers from the menu of some 2,8000 of the 14,000 restaurants spread all over the US.

Taylor Farms, on the other hand, has recalled distributed peeled whole and diced yellow onions to avert further damage.

Meanwhile, Yum Brands, which operates Taco Bell, Pizza Hut and KFC restaurants, said it continues to monitor the E. coli outbreak. It added that “we have proactively removed fresh onions” from the said restaurants.

A similar action has been made by Restaurant Brands International that operates Burger King.