Yum Brands announced Thursday it has removed onions from select locations of its Taco Bell, Pizza Hut and KFC restaurants in the wake of an E. coli outbreak linked to Quarter Pounders from McDonald’s believed to be caused by onions.

The announcement, which the corporation says was made “out of an abundance of caution,” is the latest advancement in an E. coli outbreak that has left 49 people sickened across 10 states and one person dead.

“As we continue to monitor the recently reported E. coli outbreak, and out of an abundance of caution, we have proactively removed fresh onions from select Taco Bell, Pizza Hut and KFC restaurants,” Yum Brands said in a statement provided USA TODAY. “We will continue following supplier and regulatory guidance to ensure the ongoing safety and standard of our food.”

Yum Brand’s selection comes as US Foods announced a divide recall of onions sold through their third-event supplier, Taylor Farms.

The corporation did not respond to further questions on which locations had the onions removed or who their onion supplier for those restaurants is.

McDonald’s supplier subject of divide onion recall

One of Taylor Farms’ production facilities supplied onions to McDonald’s locations in the areas impacted by E. coli illnesses, McDonald’s told USA TODAY on Thursday.

However, a divide recall of Taylor Farms Colorado onions − which McDonald’s says were not related to the corporation’s removal of Quarter Pounders − was issued by food distribution corporation US Foods.

That recall notice for Taylor Farms onions stated the factor of the recall was potential E. coli contamination.

“Our records display that affected product may have been sent to your location. It is urgent that you stop using affected product as soon as feasible,” the notice from US Foods read.

The recall included:

• 30-pound bags of peeled jumbo yellow onions
• 4/5-pound bags of 3/8-inch diced fresh yellow onions
• 5-pound bags of fresh diced yellow onions
• 6/5-pound bags of whole, peeled yellow onions

US Foods, which distributed the recalled Taylor Farms Colorado yellow onions, is not a supplier to McDonald’s, the quick-food chain said. US Foods further clarified to USA TODAY that the corporation “is not a distributor of record for McDonald’s restaurants and McDonald’s restaurants are not included in the recall notifications issued by US Foods about the Taylor Farms Colorado onion products recall.”

The Wall Street Journal previously reported that Taylor Farms supplied onions to McDonald’s locations impacted by the outbreak. The corporation told the Journal that in cooperating with federal regulators it removed from the economy yellow onions produced at its Colorado facility. 

Taylor Farms did not immediately reply to request for comment from USA TODAY.

Quarter Pounder linked to fatal outbreak

The outbreak was first announced by the CDC Tuesday and McDondald’s said it had taken the Quarter Pounder off the menu in one-fifth of its restaurants Wednesday.

The CDC said there have been at least 49 people sickened across 10 states, with 10 people requiring hospitalization and one death. The Colorado Department of community Health identified that the one death occurred in the state and was an “older person with underlying conditions.”

The CDC said that the contaminated ingredient had yet to be identified, but McDonald’s said in a statement Tuesday that an initial investigation found “a subset of illnesses” were tied to the slivered onions from a supplier that serves three of the quick-food giant’s distribution centers.

Federal safety regulators’ investigation into the E. coli outbreak has concentrated on the beef patty or slivered onion served on the sandwich as the likely source. Diced onions − a different type of onion than slivered − that are served on McDonald’s cheeseburgers and hamburgers are not recalled, the corporation said.

The FDA told USA TODAY Thursday there was no recent information on the McDonald’s Quarter Pounder investigation but that the agency hasn’t linked the outbreak to Taylor Farms. “We’re still looking at all feasible sources,” spokesperson Janell Goodwin said.

Contributing: Mary Walrath-Holdridge