If You Don't Know Where Your Onions Came From, You Should Throw Them Away, CDC Says

ACROSS AMERICA — People in 37 states who recently bought red, yellow or white onions should throw them away if they’re unsure of their origin, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control said in an expanded warning about the Salmonella-contaminated produce.

In an update Thursday, the CDC reported 60 new illnesses, bringing the total to 652, among people who ate the contaminated onions recently recalled by Hailey, Idaho-based ProSpurce Produce. A total of 129 people have been hospitalized, with the CDC reporting 13 new admissions of people with Salmonella illnesses.

The recall affected whole fresh red, white and yellow onions shipped from the state of Chihuahua, Mexico, between July 1 and Aug. 31.

Among the people who have gotten sick from eating the onions, 256 of them in Texas and Oklahoma alone, according to the CDC.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration lists the recalled onions on its website. They were sold under the following brands: Big Bull, Peak Fresh Produce, Sierra Madre, Markon First Crop, Markon Essentials, Rio Blue, ProSource, Rio Valley, and Sysco Imperial.

The onions may have stickers or packaging indicating the brand and the country where they were grown, but if you can’t determine either, toss them, the
CDC said, adding it’s important to wash any surfaces and containers the onions may have touched with hot, soapy water or in a dishwasher.

Most people who are infected with Salmonella experience diarrhea, fever and stomach cramps, with symptoms starting anywhere from six hours to six days after ingesting the bacteria. Most people recover without treatment after four to seven days.

Some people — especially children younger than 5 years, adults 65 years and older, and people with weakened immune systems — may experience more severe illnesses that require medical treatment or hospitalization.

Consult a physician if symptoms are severe, for example:

• A fever of 102 degrees or higher
• Persistent or bloody diarrhea
• So much vomiting the patient can’t keep liquids down
• Signs of dehydration, such as infrequent urination, dry mouth and throat, and feeling dizzy when standing up

For more information about salmonella, see the Salmonella Questions and Answers page on the CDC website.