An E. coli outbreak related to the consumption of McDonald's Quarter Pounders has resulted in 50 illnesses and one death, the fast food chain reported. As a precaution, a McDonald's onion supplier has issued a recall of several batches of peeled and diced yellow onions used in these products. US Foods, the company responsible for distributing the onions, initiated the recall after reports of illnesses among customers. McDonald's made the decision to remove Quarter Pounders from its U.S. restaurants after the E. coli link was identified.

The affected onions include 30-pound cases of Taylor Farms yellow jumbo peeled onions, 5-pound cases of diced yellow onions from the same brand, six 5-pound cases of whole peeled yellow onions, and four 5-pound cases of ⅜-inch diced yellow onions from Cross Valley Farms. The complete list of recalled batch codes is available online.

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"It is urgent that you stop using the affected products immediately," US Foods said in a notice to suppliers, also instructing them to destroy the affected batches and document the number of cases disposed of.

Despite the recall of Quarter Pounders, McDonald's has assured that other popular items like the Big Mac and McDouble are not affected. E. coli cases have been reported in several states, including Colorado, Nebraska, Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, Montana, Oregon, Utah, Wisconsin, and Wyoming.

The key difference is that Quarter Pounders contain raw sliced onions, while the Big Mac uses diced and cooked onions. Health officials have noted that cooking onions to 160 degrees Fahrenheit eliminates the risk of contamination.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) stated that E. coli symptoms typically appear three to four days after exposure and can last up to a week. Common symptoms include severe stomach cramps, diarrhea (often bloody), and vomiting.