WASHINGTON —Federal officials say an outbreak of salmonella linked to red onions continues to grow and has now infected nearly 900 people with 116 hospitalizations, according to the Food and Drug Administration.
A California company has been identified as the likely source. The Food and Drug Administration says Thomson International Inc. of Bakersfield, California, notified the agency in early August that was recalling all varieties of onions that could have come in contact with potentially contaminated red onions, because of the risk of cross-contamination.
Companies have issued public notifications of onions linked to the Thomson International, Inc. recall that were sold at retail locations. Some of the public notifications include:
Walmart - Walmart Recall Webpage listing all recalls, look for products recalled by Thomson International and/or products(s) containing onion recalls.
Kroger - Kroger Recall Webpage listing all recalls, look for products recalled by Thomson International and/or products(s) containing onion recalls.
FDA recommends that anyone who received or suspects having received recalled onions, or products containing recalled onions, use extra vigilance in cleaning and sanitizing any surfaces and containers that may have come in contact with recalled products to reduce the risk of cross-contamination. This includes cutting boards, slicers, countertops, refrigerators, and storage bins.
Consumers who have symptoms of Salmonella infection should contact their health care provider. Most people with salmonellosis develop diarrhea, fever, and abdominal cramps. More severe cases of salmonellosis may include a high fever, aches, headaches, lethargy, a rash, blood in the urine or stool, and in some cases may become fatal.
Suppliers and Distributors: Suppliers, distributors and others in the supply chain should not use, ship or sell recalled onions from Thomson International, Inc. or food products containing recalled onions.
Suppliers and distributors that re-package raw onions should use extra vigilance in cleaning any surfaces and storage areas that may have come into contact with recalled onions. If there has been potential cross contamination or mixing of onions from other sources with recalled onions, suppliers and distributors should discard all comingled and potentially cross-contaminated product.