A Bakersfield, Calif.-based company will recall red, yellow, white and sweet yellow onions following a salmonella outbreak, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced over the weekend.
Thomson International is voluntarily recalling the products after an outbreak affecting nearly 400 people in 34 states was linked to red onions, the agency said in a statement.
“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,” the FDA said. “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.”
“Although the investigation has determined that red onions are the likely source of this outbreak, Thomson International, Inc. has notified FDA that it will be recalling all varieties of onions that could have come in contact with potentially contaminated red onions, due to the risk of cross-contamination,” the agency added.
Nearly 60 people have been hospitalized due to the outbreak between June 19 and July 11, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The FDA, meanwhile, is investigating whether any other products may be linked to the outbreak. Canadian health officials have identified salmonella cases with a similar genetic signature, according to CNN.
So far, salmonella cases have been reported in Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Mississippi, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia, Washington, Wisconsin and Wyoming.