Introduction
If you’ve recently purchased onions from certain popular brands, you may want to check your pantry. Recently, over 200 people have been hospitalized due to salmonella poisoning linked to onions from these brands. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has issued a recall for these onions, so it’s important to know which brands to avoid. In this article, we’ll provide you with all the details you need to know about the recall, including which brands are affected and what to do if you have purchased recalled onions.
Onions From These Popular Brands Are Being Recalled After 200 People Were Hospitalized
Consumers are being warned to check their pantries and refrigerators for onions from certain popular brands after a salmonella outbreak has hospitalized over 200 people. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) have identified Thomson International Inc. of Bakersfield, California, as the source of the contaminated onions.
The FDA has recalled all varieties of onions from Thomson International Inc. that were shipped to all 50 states, as well as Canada and the Bahamas. The recalled onions were sold under the brand names Thomson Premium, TLC Thomson International, Tender Loving Care, El Competitor, Hartley’s Best, Onions 52, Majestic, Imperial Fresh, Kroger, Utah Onions, and Food Lion.
The FDA is advising consumers to not eat, sell, or serve any of the recalled onions, or any food made with them. If you have any of the recalled onions, you should throw them away immediately. If you are unsure if the onions you have are part of the recall, you should contact the store where you purchased them.
The CDC has reported that over 200 people have been hospitalized due to salmonella infections linked to the recalled onions. The agency is urging people to take extra precautions when handling and preparing raw onions, and to always wash their hands, cutting boards, and countertops after contact with raw onions.
If you have any of the recalled onions, or any food made with them, you should throw them away immediately. If you have any questions or concerns, you should contact your healthcare provider.
When 20 people fell sick with food poisoning in recent weeks after all dining at the same restaurant chain, few probably expected that outbreak to be traced back to onions. However, multiple government agencies have investigated to confirm that indeed, onions that were distributed in the U.S. and Canada are what made more than 650 people sick in 37 states. As last week closed, several companies whose names you’ll recognize were working swiftly to make sure you and your loved ones do not eat these onions.
A massive food poisoning outbreak led to a traceback investigation, which discovered a recent nationwide Salmonella outbreak originated with onions that had been sourced from Mexico. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has published information that reveals 652 people have gotten sick and 202 hospitalized, with cases reported in the following states: Alabama, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Mississippi, North Carolina, North Dakota, Nebraska, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia, Wisconsin, and West Virginia.
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Last Wednesday, ProSource Produce, LLC of Idaho announced a recall on “whole, raw onions.” The company advised that they’d supplied the red, white, and yellow onions of concern “to wholesalers, broadline foodservice customers, and retail stores . . . by the following distributors and/or under the following brands: Big Bull, Peak Fresh Produce, Sierra Madre, Markon First Crop., Markon Essentials, Rio Blue, ProSource, Rio Valley, and Sysco Imperial.”
These recalled onions were distributed in cartons and mesh sacks ranging between two and 50 pounds between July 1 and August 31, 2021, in the following states: Alabama, Arkansas, Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Iowa, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Mississippi, North Carolina, Nebraska, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, and Wisconsin. To learn more about whether this recall affects onions you’ve purchased, you can click here.
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On Friday, Keeler Family Farms of New Mexico announced they were voluntarily recalling “red, yellow, and white onions shipped from July 1, 2021 through August 25, 2021” and “distributed to wholesalers, restaurants, and retail stores in all 50 states and the District of Columbia.”
They say the onions were sold in 25-pound and 50-pound mesh sacks which may be white, purple, or red, bearing a label “marked as MVP (product of MX).” More details are here.
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Saturday, Potandon Produce L.L.C. of Idaho recalled the following Green Giant Fresh products: Whole yellow onions in two-pound bags, three-pound bags, and five-pound bags; whole white onions in two-pound bags; and whole red onions in two-pound bags. (It appears the bags these onions were sold in are mesh.)
Though it’s not clear exactly to where these onions might have been shipped after distribution, the company stated the onions had been distributed to centers in Minnesota and North Dakota. You can go here for more information on the Green Giant onion recall.
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Also Saturday, the meal delivery subscription kit brand, HelloFresh, announced a voluntary recall of its onions “due to the potential presence of salmonella bacteria. [sic]” HelloFresh advised: “Please discard all onions received from July 7, 2021 through September 8, 2021.”
The company added: “In the event that the onions have been consumed, please note that thoroughly cooking the product to 165ºF/74ºC, as instructed on the recipe, will kill the salmonella bacteria.
If you are experiencing any symptoms, please contact your healthcare provider immediately. Click here for more information from the FDA about this supplier recall and the potentially related symptoms.
We sincerely apologize for this supplier-related incident.”
Learn more about the HelloFresh onion recall, and refer to the following product codes that are affected by the recall:
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EveryPlate was another meal subscription kit that voluntarily recalled onions Saturday after the company said it had “been informed by one of its ingredient suppliers that it is conducting a voluntary recall of its onions due to the potential presence of salmonella bacteria. [sic]”
EveryPlate advised customers: “Please discard all onions received from July 7, 2021 through September 8, 2021.” You can learn more about whether the EveryPlate onion recall affects you. Product codes for the recalled onions are below:
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