Remember onions linked to Salmonella outbreak; 36 cases in Michigan

U.S. health officials are warning consumers to throw away onions in connection with a Salmonella outbreak reported in more than 40 states.

Do not eat, serve, or sell onions from Thomson International, Inc., as food made with these onions. Onion types include red, white, yellow and sweet yellow varieties. Other companies have also issued reports on foods, such as chicken salads, made with recalled onions.

The FDA reported 640 total cases of Salmonella Newport infections nationwide, with 36 in Michigan, as of August 6, 2020. A total of 85 have resulted in hospitalizations.

At home, check your refrigerator and kitchen for recalling onions or food made with them, such as salads, wraps, tacos, sandwiches, etc.

• Check the package or look for a sticker on the onion to see if it is from Thomson International, Inc., or any of the brand names below. If it is, then do not eat it. Throw it away.
• Other brands that may be on labels include: Thomson Premium, TLC Thomson International, Tender Loving Care, El Competitor, Hartley’s Best, Onions 52, Majestic, Imperial Fresh, Kroger, Utah Onions, and Food Lion. (Full list of recalled products)
• Some foods made with recalled onions, such as deli salads and vegetable mixes, have also been recalled. Check your homes for the products listed below.
• If you can not tell where your onions come from, do not eat them. Throw them away.
• If you used onions to make other foods and did not know where the onions came from, do not eat the food. Throw it away, even if some of the food was eaten and no one got sick.
• Wash and sanitize all surfaces that may come into contact with onions as their packaging, such as countertops, storage trays, refrigerators, knives and cutting boards.
• Check the FDA Recall Alert here for label photos.

As of now, no specific source of contamination or contaminated transmission has been identified, and FDA is also investigating other possible sources of contamination and has not yet reached a definitive conclusion.