"The decision to do this is not one we take lightly, and it was made in close consultation with the CDC," McDonald's USA president Joe Erlinger said in a video statement on Tuesday. McDonald's North America Chief Supply Chain Officer Cesar Piña said in a statement posted Tuesday that an initial investigation into the outbreak indicated "a subset of illnesses may be linked to slivered onions used in the Quarter Pounder and sourced by a single supplier that serves three distribution centers.

After an E. coli outbreak, McDonald’s stopped selling the Quarter Pounder in 12 states. The burger might take a hit for now, but its hold on customers will prevail, experts say.

NBC News reports that at least 75 people became ill after eating Quarter Pounders at locations in 13 states. Twenty-two people have been hospitalized and one person has died from the deadly E. coli strain.