Colorado Springs food distribution facility under investigation, more E. coli cases found

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) - 12 new people are hospitalized in connection to the E. coli outbreak at McDonalds.

The Centers for Disease Control identified 26 new cases linked to McDonalds Quarter Pounders. The contamination has been found in three new states, bringing the total to 13. No new deaths have been reported.

US Foods issued a recall for specific Taylor Farms onion products produced out of their Colorado facility. Taylor Farms is based in California and has a distribution facility in Colorado Springs. US Foods said in a statement the recall affects facilities in Colorado, Kansas, Nebraska, and New Mexico.

A spokesperson for US Food told KRDO13 Investigates Taylor Farms has reported that they test both raw and finished products for pathogens and have found no traces of E. coli.

KRDO13 Investigates reached out to Taylor Farms and they provided the following statement.

As a family-owned business we take pride in providing safe, healthy fresh foods to people every day. It saddens us to see the illnesses and affected individuals and families from the current E. coli O157:H7 outbreak. Our thoughts and prayers go out to the individuals and their families impacted. Our priority remains the health and safety of our consumers. We have preemptively recalled yellow onions from our Taylor Farms Colorado facility that were sent to select foodservice customers. We continue to work with CDC and FDA who are investigating the source of the outbreak. All Taylor Farms products in the market today are safe to consume.

-Taylor Farms

The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment announced it is investigating the outbreak and said it might involve a Colorado Springs facility.

"US Foods issued a general onion recall tied to Taylor Farms and has indicated it might involve a Colorado Springs processing and distribution center. We are working with our local, state, and federal partners to continue our investigation into the E. coli outbreak. FDA is leading the recall investigation."

What does the investigation look like?

KRDO13 Investigates spoke to Dr. Mel Kramer, an infectious disease epidemiologist with EHA Consulting about what health investigations into outbreaks look like firsthand. Kramer has worked as a consultant with companies and health organizations during outbreaks.

"It will be over when the science says it's over when we can conclusively say, this is what happened," Kramer said there is no set timeline for when the investigation will conclude.

Kramer said essentially the investigation can be broken up into three main points:

• Talking to people
• Lab testing
• Molecular testing

Talking to people: Kramer said this point in the investigation is about learning what specifically made people sick and what didn't.

Lab testing: This is where health organizations will test the fecal matter of people who got sick and the foods possibly responsible for the sickness.

Molecular testing: Kramer said this is where the organizations look for the specific version of E. coli that causes illness in both the people and the food.

KRDO13 Investigates asked Kramer what is the most common cause of E coli. contamination. His answer might be a surprise, "There is a linkage, usually somewhere to bovines [cows]." Kramer said workers usually get a bad rap. While the root cause of this current outbreak isn't known, Kramer said it's unlikely it was caused by a worker, because the outbreak has spanned 13 states and, typically, workers with E. coli are too sick to come into work.