Throw Away Unlabeled Red, White, and Yellow Onions Due to a Risk of Salmonella, the CDC Says
More than 650 people in 37 states have been sickened
The Centers for Disease Control says consumers should throw away raw red, white, and yellow onions that don’t have a label on them while it investigates a multistate salmonella outbreak linked to them. And don’t buy unlabeled onions, either.
The onions have sickened 652 people in 37 states, the CDC says. Of those, 129 have been hospitalized. No deaths have been confirmed.
The agency traced the outbreak to imported onions from Chihuahua, Mexico, and distributed by ProSource. Some onions may have stickers or packaging indicating the brand and the country where they were grown. But the CDC says if you can’t tell where the onions are from, don’t buy or eat them.
How to Stay Safe From Salmonella
The biggest risk of contracting salmonella from these onions is consuming them raw. But cooking with them could be risky, too, Rogers says. “There’s always the concern of cross contamination from your hands, cooking surfaces, or any surfaces the onions touched,” he says.
If you’re worried that you may have cooked with a contaminated onion, wash any surfaces it may have touched with hot soapy water, Rogers says.
Symptoms of Salmonella
Salmonella causes diarrhea, fever, and stomach cramps anywhere from 6 hours to six days after exposure, according to the CDC. The illness usually lasts four to seven days and resolves without treatment. But some people may become so ill that they require hospitalization.
Call a doctor if you have a fever higher than 102° F, diarrhea that doesn’t improve in three days, or bloody stools. Dehydration is also possible and should be assessed by a doctor. Signs of dehydration include dry mouth and throat, dizziness when standing, and making very little urine.
The Details
Products recalled: Fresh, whole, red, white, and yellow onions imported from Chihuahua, Mexico, and distributed by ProSource of Hailey, Idaho, and Keeler Family Farms of Deming, N.M.
The problem: The onions may be contaminated with salmonella.
The fix: The CDC says don’t buy them and throw away any unlabeled onions you already have because it might not be possible to know their source.
How to contact the manufacturer: Call ProSource at 208-928-6929. Call Keeler Family Farms at 575-652-5405. Contact EveryPlate at 973-210-4915 or by live chat on its website. Contact HelloFresh at 646-846-3663 or by live chat on its website.
