Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) McDonald’s is investigating quarter pounder hamburgers Among the reports that the sandwich was associated with an E. Coli outbreak is making Americans sick.
The investigation comes amid a rash of foodborne illness cases deli meat, Waffles, eggand e. coli, listeria, and other foods contaminated with salmonella are responsible for product recalls, hundreds of hospitalizations, and even deaths across the United States.
There are two primary reasons for the recent increase in contaminated food declarations. One, the US food system has become extremely complex in recent decades: there are now imported foods as well as more processed foods, creating more opportunities for disease to enter the food system.
Two, the government has better and faster tracing capabilities for legislation to modernize food safety. This makes it easier for the Food and Drug Administration and the US Department of Agriculture, the two agencies that investigate such outbreaks, to track problems to their source. This makes it easier for companies to recall tainted products before they spread further into the food system and sicken large numbers of people.
Here’s what you need to know about the latest cases of foodborne illness and why these outbreaks are happening.
What diseases are contaminated food products, and where?
The latest problem with contaminated food is at McDonald’s, where E. coli Associated with the Quarter Pounder has spread to 10 states and sickened 49 people – though According to the CDCThe actual number of people sickened by this outbreak is likely much higher. The exact source of the outbreak is under investigation, but the CDC believes onions or beef used in the burgers may have been the cause.
E. Coli, a type of bacteria, is not dangerous by itself. As Amesh Adalja, a senior scholar at the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security, told Vox, “E. Coli is there. I have E. coli in my body,” especially in the gastrointestinal tract. The problem is, some strains make people sick and are especially dangerous when they enter the water supply. Contaminated water used for irrigation for agriculture can contaminate food. Deadly strains can also be introduced into meat products, esp Ground beefWhen animals are slaughtered and the meat is processed. E. Coli can also spread through person-to-person contact if a sick person is not careful about hygiene.
Unfortunately, E. coli isn’t the only bacteria affecting the food supply right now. Listeria, which spreads easily and quickly, can only be killed by heating food to high temperatures An extensive recall of waffles on Friday Produced for various national supermarkets. This comes later A number of chicken products at the grocery store The likes of Trader Joe’s and Aldi were flagged for the recall due to listeria concerns involving Brewpack, a pre-cooked meat producer.
These two recalls follow listeria outbreaks that occurred in Boar’s Head meat products, including liverwurst, which were produced in June and July.
The outbreak originated in the company Jarratt, Virginia, facility and found in 19 states. It has killed 10 people out of 59 known cases so far, according to CDC. worry about Unsanitary conditions of facilitiesMold, including insects, and meat and fat residue on equipment, floors and walls go back at least two years.
The outbreak forced Boar’s Head to recall 71 products and 7.1 million pounds of deli meat. The company closed the Jarratt facility indefinitely and permanently They stopped producing liverwurst.
A third contaminant of concern at the moment, Salmonella, was the subject A September egg recall As well as a more recent one Remember the green onion. It primarily comes from poultry such as chicken meat and eggs, but it can be found in other types of food. In 2024, Salmonella Outbreaks have been linked to eggs, basil, charcuterie meats and cucumbers. Outbreaks linked to eggs and charcuterie meat have accounted for the highest number of hospitalizations and spread to more than 30 states each.
“If you go to your grocery store right now and buy some chicken and you farm it, you’ll find salmonella,” Adalza said. “It has an easy way, if one does not cook their food properly. It can also happen in your own home; You don’t cook your chicken all the way through or you cut the chicken on a cutting board and then you start cutting lettuce or something. You can cross-contaminate.”
Why are E. coli, listeria, and salmonella a cause for concern?
Listeria, Salmonella and E. coli infection is particularly worrisome for the disproportionate impact it can have on vulnerable groups such as pregnant people, children and people over 65. Healthy people who are not in this group may experience symptoms after being exposed to this type of bacteria , but they are less likely to require treatment. And in many cases, those who experience symptoms may be able to recover on their own.
As the pig head outbreak has made clear, however, these bacteria can cause more serious cases and even death. Listeria causes About 1,500 were hospitalized every year, Salmonella is about 26,500And E. coli about 3,300.
Listeria is of particular concern because it is “a much more virulent pathogen when it comes to infection than, for example, Salmonella,” Adalza said. “It spreads very quickly, and sometimes it doesn’t cause symptoms that people think of foodborne illness: vomiting and diarrhea. Listeria may not cause this. It can just present as a systemic infection or meningitis.”
Below is a brief description of the symptoms each of these bacteria can cause and who is most at risk:
- Listeria
- Symptoms: Fever, muscle aches, nausea and diarrhea
- Most at risk: Pregnant people, children, people over 65 and people with weak immune system
- Serious complications: Listeria can cause miscarriages and stillbirths in pregnant women, as well as serious infections in newborns. Additionally, it can lead to blood infections and brain infections such as meningitis in adults. Symptoms including seizures, stiff neck and severe headache can be signs of meningitis.
- Treatment: antibiotics
- Salmonella
- Symptoms: Diarrhea, fever, nausea and cramps
- Most at risk: Children under 5 years of age, children, people over 65 years of age, people with weakened immune systems, people taking medicines that reduce stomach acid
- Serious complications: Rare infections of other parts of the body, including the liver and nervous system, may occur. Some people may also experience reactive arthritis, which manifests as joint pain.
- Treatment: Antibiotics may be used in severe cases and fluids are recommended to combat possible dehydration.
- E. coli
- Symptoms: Flatulence, diarrhea and vomiting
- Most at risk: Children under 5, people over 65 and people with weakened immune systems
- Serious complications: A rare condition can cause kidney damage.
- Treatment: Fluid intake is recommended to combat dehydration.
Why is there a gap in food withdrawal at the moment?
The last caveat is a static addition Increased food withdrawal from the epidemic. In 2023, the total number of food recalls and public health warnings issued by the USDA and FDA was the highest in years, According to a report by the US Public Interest Research Group, A consumer advocacy group. (However, they are still lower than from 2018 to 2020.)
These recalls were largely driven by the companies’ poor disclosure of allergens in various foods, with a small fraction due to the discovery of bacteria in the items. (USDA and FDA They said the number of food products they recalled in 2024 did not increase compared to 2023.)
Recent recalls are driven by a number of factors, including longer and more complex food supply chains. Basically, the more steps involved in food processing and packaging, the more likely it is to spread germs and contaminate items. The popularity and prevalence of processed foods, which are a major source of such pathogens, is also a problem. And better testing and detection means authorities are able to detect these problems more frequently.
“Our supply chain has become so complex that there are more and more blind spots that are allowed to exist and are ignored throughout the system,” Darin Detwiler, Food Policy Specialist at Northeastern Universitytold Vox.
There is also a Increasing use among government agencies which is known as Culture-independent diagnostic testswhich is more sensitive to pathogens and can turn around results faster than previous methods. The increased use of these tests suggests that outbreaks may be caught with greater regularity and may contribute to the perception that more are occurring.
Information technology is also playing a role, notes Detwiler. The FDA is Push for more digitization in detection of foodborne illness outbreakswhich enables quick response to problems.
There may be repercussions for those responsible for outbreaks, although this is often the case in the form of fineswhich may be negligible for large corporations. Boar’s Head is facing multiple lawsuits related to the listeria outbreak, and the U.S. Department of Agriculture, which is responsible for inspecting food production facilities, Now faces an internal investigation into his role.
While the burden of ensuring food is safe should fall on the companies that produce and handle it, as well as government agencies tasked with inspections, Detwiler warns that consumers should be more aware of the risks of their food.
“We have to assume that food is always contaminated,” he said. “We always have to be careful … where we buy, what we buy, what we eat, how we prepare food, the questions we ask, things like that, to be a part of that process.”
