DENVER — After testing multiple lots of McDonald’s Corp. fresh and frozen beef patties, the Colorado Department of Agriculture (CDA) informed the quick service restaurant on Oct.27 that all samples were negative for E. coli. 

CDA added that it completed all beef testing and does not anticipate receiving further samples.

“At this time, CDA also has no information suggesting onions grown in Colorado are linked to this outbreak,” the agency said.

McDonald’s released a statement following this update that ruled out Quarter Pounder patties as the source of E. coli after overlaying CDC Epidemiological data and supply chain traceback data.

“Last week, out of an abundance of caution, we stopped distributing Quarter Pounder beef patties to the impacted area,” the company said over the weekend. “We are now confident in asking our beef suppliers to produce a new supply of fresh beef patties for the impacted areas. We will resume distribution of that fresh supply, and the Quarter Pounder is expected to be available in all restaurants in the coming week. This will be on a rolling basis based on delivery and resupply operations.”

McDonald’s added that the 900 restaurants that historically receive slivered onions from Taylor Farms’ Colorado Springs facility would resume sales of Quarter Pounders without slivered onions. Those restaurants are in Colorado, Kansas and Wyoming, as well as portions of Idaho, Iowa, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Mexico, Oklahoma and Utah.

Joe Erlinger, the president of McDonald’s USA, released a video statement on Oct. 27 where he thanked the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Colorado public health officials and the US Department of Agriculture, Food Safety and Inspection Service and US Food and Drug Administration while also addressing customers later in his remarks.

“I also want to address customers who ate at McDonald’s and are feeling any number of things: ill, scared, or uncertain,” Erlinger said. “I know that our relationship is built on trust. You trust us to serve you safe food every time. On behalf of the McDonald’s system, I want you to hear from me: we are sorry. For those customers affected, you have my commitment that, led by our values: we will make this right.”

The most updated numbers released by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the CDC  stated that 75 people were infected with the outbreak strain of E. coli O157:H7 in 13 states with 22 hospitalizations. 

McDonald’s later stated that the FDA continued investigating the Taylor Farms’ facility.

Taylor Farms released a statement to some television stations last week about the E. coli outbreak. 

“We test both raw and finished products for pathogens and have found no traces of E. coli,” a Taylor Farms spokesperson said. “We have never seen E. coli O157:H7 associated with onions in the past. We continue to work closely with FDA and CDC during this ongoing investigation. Our priority is the health and wellness of our customers and consumers and the safety and quality of our products.”

Several other quick-service restaurants removed some onions on Oct. 24 out of select locations including Yum! Brands and Restaurant Brands International, which owns Burger King.

The CDC and FDA continue to investigate the E. coli outbreak.