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How does E. coli spread in a large chain like McDonald’s? -My homeland

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An E. coli outbreak in the United States linked to a McDonald’s Quarter Pounder product has killed one person and sent 10 people to the hospital, including a child who developed kidney disease.

As health officials scramble to pinpoint the source of the contamination, many are wondering if their favorite burger is safe to eat, including if you’re a consumer in Canada.

While the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said. Comprehensive risks Keith Wariner, a professor of food safety at the University of Guelph, warned that while the spread of infection to the public is low now that McDonald’s has recalled its Quarter Pounder from restaurants in affected states, E. coli remains a serious concern.

“E. coli is a very virulent pathogen that has several strains,” he told Global News. “And the worst of the bad E. coli is what we call E. coli O157.”, The problem with this pathogen is that it can cause a fatal case of organ failure, and it is extremely virulent.

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The E. coli O157:H7 strain, responsible for the McDonald’s outbreak, poses a significant risk to young children, the elderly and people with weakened immune systems, Wariner said.


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The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported an E. coli outbreak late Tuesday, with 49 infections identified between September 27 and October 11 in ten states.

The CDC confirmed that all infected individuals ate the Quarter Pounder, resulting in 10 people being hospitalized, including a child suffering from complications of hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS), a disease that affects the kidneys. An elderly person also died in Colorado.

White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said Wednesday that the Biden administration is monitoring the situation and cooperating with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to determine the source of the outbreak.

Here’s what to know about E. coli outbreaks.

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E. coli infections are caused by E. coli bacteria, which can spread through contact with infected people, animals, surfaces, foods, or contaminated liquids. According to Health Canada.

It can produce toxins that cause symptoms such as stomach cramps, bloody diarrhea, vomiting, and, in severe cases, kidney failure.

The bacteria naturally live in the intestines of some animals and can be found in their feces. These animals include cows, goats and sheep.

“The place it loves its habitat is ruminants, especially livestock,” Warriner said. “It has special factors that enable it to live in livestock without causing any disease to the livestock at all.”

One way E. coli can enter the human diet is through livestock manure runoff. This can contaminate irrigation water and soil, leading to continued E. coli contamination in crops like lettuce and onions, Warriner explained.

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For example, in 2018, there was an outbreak of E. coli O157:H7 linked to romaine lettuce from California, affecting 51 people in the United States and Canada. In such cases, the lettuce was likely contaminated from dairy farms and livestock feedlots located near the growing areas, Warriner said.

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Because we don’t cook vegetables, this can be one of the riskier choices when it comes to food safety. Cooking kills bacteria, while salads are simply rinsed and served. He warned that rinsing does not get rid of E. coli bacteria.

Beef can also be contaminated with E. coli during slaughter. Cattle can get manure from their hides and transfer bacteria to the carcass, which can survive processing treatments such as acid washing, Wariner said.

“Then we grind the meat, it gets incorporated into the ground beef, and when it goes into the patties, it goes into the actual food service restaurant,” he added.

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An example is the E. coli O157:H7 strain associated with The 1993 incident at Jack in the Box In the United States, killing four children.


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What part of the burger was affected?

Preliminary results of the investigation indicate that a subset of illnesses may be linked to the cut onions used in the Quarter Pounder. McDonald’s said in a statement on Tuesday.

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“We have taken steps to proactively remove cut onions, which are used in the Quarter Pounder at restaurants in select states. We have also made the decision to remove the Quarter Pounder from restaurants in select states,” said McDonald’s US President Joe Erlinger. In a video statement on Tuesday.

“It is important to note that the majority of menu items are not affected. Other beef products at McDonald’s including the cheeseburger, hamburger, Big Mac, McDouble, and Double Cheeseburger will not be affected.

Initially, beef steak was considered a potential source of contamination. However, Warriner noted that McDonald’s has very strict food safety protocols regarding its meat, so he would be surprised if that was the source.


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“In McDonald’s case, they have some of the safest food safety systems. Their food safety training is unparalleled in the industry. I’m pretty sure it wasn’t because of the burger, but because of the onions, and that’s a whole different story,” Wariner said.

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This happens because flooding events near livestock can allow bacteria to infiltrate the onions themselves. While washing removes bacteria from the surface, it does not remove them from the inside.

He said: “Washing onions is of no use.” “And because we eat them raw, the end result is what we see now.”

Warriner suggested that Hydroxyl radical processIt is a very effective way to reduce bacterial contamination, and more food suppliers, including McDonald’s, should adopt it. This method can thoroughly clean the interior and exterior of the product, using hydroxyl radicals to penetrate and eliminate contaminants.

However, he noted that this process is still very rare by food suppliers.

How did it spread to different McDonald’s restaurants?

McDonald’s said preliminary findings indicate that a subset of illnesses were linked to onions obtained from a single supplier serving three distribution centers.

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The infection has spread across Colorado, Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Oregon, Utah, Wisconsin and Wyoming. Colorado had the highest number of cases, with 26, followed by Nebraska with nine.

It’s possible the contaminated product has already made its way through McDonald’s supply chain, Erlinger said. But he said the company would work closely with the government and cooperate with the investigation. Erlinger declined to name the supplier or specify whether it supplies other restaurant chains or grocery stores.

The CDC said all people interviewed in connection with the outbreak reported eating at McDonald’s before they became ill, and most reported eating a Quarter Pounder hamburger.

Given the widespread nature of the E. coli outbreak, Wariner suggested the source of the contamination was likely a supplier rather than an individual McDonald’s restaurant.

“But the reality is that McDonald’s sent auditors to look at the supplier. But the problem is that we have auditors who say, ‘Yes, it looks fine,’ but they don’t really know it,” Wariner said.

“Going back to the fact that they rely on this washing process to remove field-acquired contamination, when they know it’s not working.”


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Should Canadians be worried?

Global News sent an email to Health Canada on Tuesday asking the health regulator whether the McDonald’s E. coli outbreak has affected Canadians.

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A Health Canada spokesperson referred Global News to its online list of active outbreak investigations, which includes no mention of E. coli infections at McDonald’s restaurants in Canada.

In an email to Global News on Tuesday, a McDonald’s Canada spokesperson said: “We want to reassure our Canadian guests that the situation affecting some McDonald’s restaurants in some U.S. states does not affect our Canadian restaurants, or menu items.”

“Across the McDonald’s system, serving customers safely in every restaurant, every day, is our top priority and something we will never compromise,” the spokesperson said.

Wariner noted that the contamination is unlikely to spread to Canada’s food supply. However, if you’re worried and planning to visit McDonald’s, ordering a hamburger without onions may provide relief for the time being.

– With files from Reuters






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