FDA makes DISGUSTING find after McDonald’s E. coli outbreak probe

An FDA inspection of a Colorado facility of Taylor Farms, an onion supplier to McDonald’s, revealed numerous violations following a deadly E. coli outbreak linked to the fast-food chain.

Taylor Farms, known for providing “prep-less kitchen solutions” to restaurants, supplied “sliced ​​onions” to McDonald’s in several states and also produces ready-to-eat salads for supermarkets.

The inspection report, obtained by CBS News a Freedom of Information Act request highlighted findings that led to the issuance of a Form 483, a list of citations about potential health hazards.

FDA inspectors have found multiple cases of poor sanitation at the Taylor Farms facility in Colorado Springs. Despite claims that cleaning procedures had been followed, inspectors discovered equipment with significant build-ups of biofilm and food residue.

The inspection report found that Taylor Farms’ quality control team approved cleaning procedures even when inspectors observed visibly unclean surfaces containing food.

This failure posed a significant risk of cross-contamination, as evidenced by a complaint from another company that found bits of onion in their green pepper product.

The FDA report also suggested that workers did not follow proper sanitation protocols, raising concerns about potential hygiene problems.

McDonald’s supplier staff “occasionally” used hand sanitizer when handling ready-to-eat (RTE) foods, the FDA said. The disinfectant was applied to their gloved hands, but there was a clear lack of consistency.

FDA inspectors also noted that production workers handling products and food contact surfaces were not using the hand-washing sinks in the facility.

Inspectors also said Taylor Farms frequently skipped the drying step after dipping tools in disinfectant.

This led to concerns that the solution was being ‘applied directly’ to off-the-shelf products. “Equipment is constantly wet due to the wet processing environment and cold temperatures,” the FDA reported.

In addition, FDA officials raised concerns about the way staff prepared the cleaning agent mixtures.

Some solutions exceeded the allowable maximum chemical concentration, while the company was unclear about the formulation for another cleaning mixture that was flagged by FDA inspectors.

“Management was unable to provide manufacturer label and/or manufacturer or chemical representatives stating that the mixing of these chemicals was designed for this use,” inspectors said.

‘We hold our suppliers to the highest food safety expectations and standards. Prior to this inspection, and regardless of the findings, McDonald’s stopped sourcing the Taylor Farms facility in Colorado Springs,” McDonald’s said in a statement.

The change in suppliers affected about 900 restaurants that relied on the plant, CBS News reported.

McDonald’s emphasized that the decision to stop purchasing at the Taylor Farms facility in Colorado Springs, announced in October following the E. coli outbreak, was independent of the recent FDA inspection.

“Taylor Farms is confident in our high-quality food safety processes and the quality and safety of our products. As is customary following an inspection, the FDA has made comments regarding conditions that could be improved at one of our facilities,” Taylor Farms said in a statement.

“This is consistent with no diseases or public health threats associated with these observations.”

The company confirmed that it immediately addressed the concerns raised and emphasized that the FDA has not taken any administrative or regulatory action against them.

The E. coli outbreak, which spanned fourteen states, caused a widespread recall of onions used in McDonald’s products, including the iconic ones.

The CDC traced at least 104 infections to the outbreak, resulting in 34 hospitalizations and one death.

In response to the E. coli outbreak, Taylor Farms initiated a recall for thousands of cases of ready-to-eat onions.

This isn’t the first time McDonald’s has had to cover the tracks of the e-coli outbreak.

Last November, McDonald’s announced it planned to spend $100 million to lure back its customers following the E. coli outbreak in multiple states.

The fast-food giant said it invested the large sum to “accelerate recovery and support the hardest-hit franchisees,” the company told CBS News.

“A total of $65 million will be invested in supporting franchisees who have lost sales, with a focus on those in the states most affected,” she added.

The burgers were initially removed from the menu at about 20 percent of McDonald’s restaurants, but have returned in the past week.

However, at hundreds of locations, the menu item is served without onions.

Taylor Farms did not immediately respond to DailyMail.com’s request for comment.