MONTGOMERY, Ala. (WSFA)- An E. coli outbreak has caused quite a scare at one popular fast food chain.
Seventy-five people across the United States have been affected by this outbreak linked to the McDonald's Quarter Pounder. Even though the Alabama Department of Public Health says there is no reason for Alabamians to be worried, if you do get sick after eating at a restaurant, there are steps you can take.
"We encourage them to go to the ADPH website," said Melanie Boggan, ADPH director of program compliance. "There is a section for food-borne outbreak complaints. They can fill out the information there with the establishment information or they can call directly to the county health department."
Boggan says these reports are often inspected within the next 24 hours.
They will ask questions about the person who reported the food safety concern, such as their symptoms, then go to the establishment to ensure proper health protocols are being followed.
"Based on the circumstances that we find, we may issue notices of violation so that we can follow up on it to make sure the corrective action is being done," said Boggan.
McDonald's USA President Joe Erlinger says the company is making choices in the best interest of their consumers following this outbreak.
"We're confident that we'll see out way through this, and we'll restore confidence for the American consumer to come to McDonald's," said Erlinger.
A spokesman for local McDonald's franchises confirmed all menu items are on their menus as normal, and there have been no reported issues with any McDonald's food in Alabama.
Food-borne illness symptoms, such as nausea, vomiting or bowel issues typically begin 12-24 hours after consuming affected food.
If you think you have a food-borne illness from eating at a restaurant, you can visit the ADPH website to fill out a foodborne illness complaint.