McDonald’s North America Chief Supply Chain Officer, Cesar Piña, Issues Internal Update on Food Safety Commitment
Dear McDonald’s USA Team,
Our commitment to food safety is a responsibility shared by all—no single person, team, or department can ensure it alone. This week, we’ve seen why this shared commitment is crucial.
First, I want to extend our gratitude to the health authorities who have partnered with us, including the CDC, USDA, FDA, and various state health departments. Their support reinforces the close relationship McDonald’s has maintained with public health officials, a partnership that will continue to strengthen moving forward.
Thanks to the proactive measures taken, the CDC has indicated that the risk to the public is “very low.” This reassurance emphasizes the importance of our core values: putting people first and doing the right thing.
This situation appears limited to a specific ingredient and geographic area, and we’re confident that any contaminated products linked to the outbreak have been removed from our supply chain and McDonald’s restaurants. As health officials have highlighted, increased awareness may lead to more people seeking medical attention, and case numbers may grow; this vigilance is ultimately beneficial for public safety.
For context, the CDC notes that symptoms of this illness typically start within 3-4 days after consuming contaminated food, with most people recovering in 5-7 days. Confirming whether cases are connected to an outbreak can take several weeks, so public health agencies will continue interviews, especially with individuals who report dining at McDonald’s, which may increase the number of cases linked to us.
We remain committed to supporting any customer affected by this outbreak. As Joe mentioned last week, our principles guide us through these situations and help build customer trust:
- Act responsibly and transparently
- Partner closely with health authorities, relying on science for decision-making
- Take swift, decisive action
- Utilize all available resources
- Communicate openly and rapidly
Here are some key updates:
- Testing Results: This weekend, the Colorado Department of Agriculture completed tests on Quarter Pounder beef patties from local restaurants, with no E. coli detected. Given these results, no further testing of beef patties is anticipated. We have now ruled out Quarter Pounder patties as the source of the outbreak.
- Resuming Beef Distribution: Last week, we paused Quarter Pounder beef patty distribution in affected areas. With current data confirming the safety of our beef, we will resume production and distribution to the impacted regions. Quarter Pounders should be available again in all locations within the week, with restocking occurring on a rolling basis.
- Onion Removal: Slivered onions sourced from Taylor Farms’ Colorado Springs facility were removed from our supply chain as of October 22. We have decided to cease sourcing from this facility indefinitely. Other food service providers who received onions from this facility have similarly taken action to stop sales or recall affected products.
We’ll continue working with the FDA as they investigate Taylor Farms’ Colorado Springs facility. Moving forward, the 900 restaurants previously served by this facility will resume Quarter Pounder sales without slivered onions. These locations include restaurants in Colorado, Kansas, Wyoming, and portions of Idaho, Iowa, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Mexico, Oklahoma, and Utah.
Thank you for supporting our food safety initiatives, promoting public health, and embodying McDonald’s core values daily.
