Onions Found To Be Source Of 37 State Salmonella Outbreak

Onions have been identified as the source of a Salmonella outbreak across 37 states, including Massachusetts, the CDC announced on Wednesday.

WWLP/News 22 Springfield reports the Centers For Disease Control and Prevention, along with the Food and Drug Administration and other health officials have made the conclusion that fresh, whole red, white, and yellow onions imported from Chihuahua, Mexico, and distributed U.S.-wide by ProSource, Inc. are behind the salmonella outbreak.

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According to the FDA, there have been 652 reports of illness and 129 hospitalizations in the 37 states, but no deaths. Of the 417 cases where information is available, 31% were hospitalized.

ProSource Inc. distributed the onions to restaurants and grocery stores throughout the United States. The company has agreed to recall red, yellow, and white onions with import dates from July 1 to Aug. 27.

ProSource Inc. also made it clear that even though the onions were last imported on August 27, potentially infectious onions could still be in homes and businesses due to the product's shelf life of up to three months.

The CDC had this to say in a tweet on Wednesday:

Throw away any unlabeled onions at home. Do not eat, sell, or serve red, white or yellow onions imported from Mexico and distributed U.S.-wide by ProSource Inc.

The CDC also advises checking your onions to see where they're from. If the onions do not have any packaging indicating where they’re from, err on the side of caution and just throw them away. Do not eat them.

Salmonella symptoms include diarrhea, fever, and stomach cramps usually six hours to six days after a person swallows the bacteria. Most people recover without treatment. If you experience diarrhea, bloody diarrhea, fever, vomiting, or dehydration you should contact a health care provider.

For more on the story, please visit WWLP's website here.