Onions recalled by Thomson International due to possible salmonella link

Thomson International Inc. of Bakersfield, California, has recalled red, yellow, white and sweet yellow onions shipped from May 1, 2020 through the present.

The recall is due to the onion having the potential to be contaminated with salmonella, an organism that can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections in young children, frail or elderly people and others with weakened immune systems. Healthy persons infected with salmonella often experience fever, diarrhea (which may be bloody), nausea, vomiting and abdominal pain. In rare circumstances, infection with salmonella can result in the organism getting into the bloodstream and producing more severe illnesses such as arterial infections (i.e., infected aneurysms), endocarditis and arthritis.

Onions were distributed to wholesalers, restaurants and retail stores in all 50 states, the District of Columbia and Canada.

The onions were distributed in 5-pound cartons, 10-pound cartons, 25-pound cartons, 40-pound cartons, 50-pound cartons bulk, 2-pound mesh sacks, 3-pound mesh sacks, 5-pound mesh sacks, 10-pound mesh sacks, 25-pound mesh sacks and 50-pound mesh sacks 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
• Food Lion

Consumers, restaurants, and retailers should not eat, sell, or serve red, white, yellow, or sweet onions from Thomson International, Inc. or products containing such onions. If you cannot tell if your onion is from Thomson International Inc., or your food product contains such onions, you should not eat, sell, or serve it, and should throw it out.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration, along with the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, is investigating a multistate outbreak of Salmonella Newport infections that may be linked to these onions, so Thomson International is recalling the onions out of an abundance of caution. As of now no specific source of contamination or contaminated shipment has been identified, and FDA is also investigating other potential sources of contamination and has not yet reached a final conclusion.

396 total illnesses have been reported to date including 59 hospitalizations.  States with cases include: AK (6), AZ (14), CA (49), CO (10), FL (3), ID (5), IL (10), IN (2), IA (15), KS (1), KY (1), ME (4), MD (1), MI (23), MN (10), MO (6), MT (33), NE (5), NV (5), NY (4), NC (3), ND (5), OH (7), OR (71), PA (2), SC (1), SD (11), TN (5), TX (1), UT (61), VA (4), WA (2), WI (5), and WY (11).