When going out to eat or visiting one’s local grocery store, one is surrounded by countless popular chains that aim to reel one in with their convenience and the false belief of safe service. It has just become an expected standard in America for the items people purchase and the food that is served to be well prepared without having to worry that it may contain harmful bacteria. Unfortunately, these particular safety practices have been called into question countless times, with various infectious and dangerous illnesses running rampant in different ingredients that many chains or grocery stores supply, which can range from items such as lettuce or ground beef to peanut butter and baby food. One of the most common forms of harmful bacteria found in these ingredients is a type of E. coli, one that harbors Shiga toxins. These germs can stay dormant in an individual for up to nine days before showing any signs; they then begin to eat the body from the inside out, resulting in kidney failure and possible death if not treated. E. coli is far more common than most Americans realize; according to The Guardian, it kills anywhere between 36,000 and 40,000 people every year in the U.S. alone. Even with all of the laws put in place for food safety in the United States, cases such as the more recent McDonald’s incident call into question suppliers and their integrity in keeping consumers safe over making a few extra dollars. 

     McDonald’s was not the first company to be found guilty of having problems with E. coli in their food; this has been a widespread problem in the United States for a fair amount of time. In 1993, the Washington Department of Health investigated the corporation and chain Jack in the Box due to the suspicion that their hamburger patties caused an E. coli breakout. This led to the discovery that many customers and employees had previously complained about undercooked beef. Even with the countless complaints coming into Jack in the Box headquarters, they decided to ignore them. This only stopped after the creation of a new federal regulation, but unfortunately, by this time, 732 people were infected, and four children had died.

     This was not the last that would occur, though. Countless other restaurants have had problems with their ingredients or practices in the years following, while grocery stores have had to issue many recalls for items on their shelves. As mentioned earlier, one of the most recent outbreaks was the E. coli outbreak centered around McDonald’s. Consumers reported becoming ill across several states from late September to mid-October this year. This was eventually linked to the diced onions supplied to McDonald’s specifically for their quarter-pound hamburger. By Oct. 30, as many as 90 people across 13 different states were classified as affected, and one person died. This resulted in a strong and immediate response from McDonald’s, having them recall the onions at restaurants and suppliers. While many believe they performed their best, others conclude they could have done more to inform the public.

     With illnesses and infections such as E. coli remaining relevant for their danger to this day, there is unfortunately not much that the public and individuals can do to avoid it without the government enforcing much stricter food laws and regulations. The best that someone can do is to stay informed on the matter and simply avoid the food items causing infections. As horrible as it is there is always a possibility that one of the many farms or companies one eats from decides to cut corners where it matters most. The takeaway is to live as usual but remain vigilant of what one purchases and when.