Following the deadly Escherichia coli outbreak linked to McDonald’s onions supplied by Taylor Farms, through a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request, CBS News uncovered U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) reports documenting food safety and hygiene violations at the implicated Taylor Farms facility.
In October 2024, illnesses caused by E. coli infection began surfacing in people who consumed McDonald’s Quarter Pounder sandwiches. FDA determined fresh, slivered onions served on the sandwiches, which were supplied by Taylor Farms’ facility in Colorado Springs, Colorado, to be the source of the outbreak. By the close of the outbreak investigation on December 3, a total of 104 people infected with the outbreak strain of E. coli O157:H7 were reported from 14 states, resulting in 34 known hospitalizations, four cases of hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS), and one death (not HUS-related).
The FDA reports uploaded by CBS News covered inspections conducted at Taylor Farms’ Colorado Springs facility between October 28 and November 12, 2024. Known as a Form 483, the document was issued to Taylor Farms to communicate objectionable conditions observed during inspection, which may lead to the adulteration of a product or a product being rendered injurious to health. Violations reported in FDA’s Form 483 included, but were not limited to:
- Ready-to-eat (RTE) produce products were exposed to the environment prior to packaging but did not undergo a lethal treatment step for pathogens.
- Areas in the facility were found that could support pathogenic growth on food contact and non-food contact surfaces. For example, production areas were maintained at temperatures that enable Listeria growth, pooling water was observed, and several non-food contact surface areas in production rooms tested positive for Listeria.
- Equipment with apparent biofilm and food debris were found, even after post-operation cleans. Following cleans, food contact areas that should have been marked “fail” were marked as “pass.”
- Improper employee personal hygiene was seen, such as personnel handling RTE produce and food contact surfaces not using any handwashing sinks. Employees sometimes used hand sanitizer over gloved hands only.
- Hazards analysis and food safety plans were inadequate, and control verification records were missing.
- Food contact equipment was not dried after sanitization, and improper concentrations or mixtures of sanitizer were used.
- Equipment was “constantly wet due to the wet processing environment and cold temperatures.”
In a statement to CBS News, Taylor Farms stated that the company “is confident in our best-in-class food safety processes, and in turn, the quality and safety of our products. As is common following an inspection, FDA issued observations of conditions that could be improved at one of our facilities." Taylor Farms said it immediately took steps to address the issues listed in FDA’s Form 483.
