The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has issued a warning for people not to eat, serve or sell onions from Thomson International Inc., or food made with these onions.
The red, white, yellow and sweet onions were distributed to wholesalers, restaurants and retail stores in all 50 states. Other companies have also issued recalls of foods, like chicken salads, made with recalled onions.
According to the map of reported cases, 640 people have been infected. Utah is seeing the most cases with 90 infections, followed by California with 76.
Salmonella can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections in young children, frail or elderly people, and others with weakened immune systems. Healthy persons infected with salmonella often experience fever, diarrhea (which may be bloody), nausea, vomiting and abdominal pain. In rare circumstances, salmonella infection can result in the organism getting into the bloodstream and producing more severe illnesses, including infected aneurysms, endocarditis and arthritis.
In addition to Thomson International, the onions may have been distributed under the names Thomson Premium, TLC Thomson International, Tender Loving Care, Majestic, Kroger, TII Premium, El Competitor, Hartley, Onions 52, Imperial Fresh, Utah Onions and Food Lion.
The CDC recommended that consumers throw away any onions or foods made with onions supplied by Thomson, or throw away onions or products containing them if you don’t know who supplied the onions.
Anyone experiencing symptoms should seek medical help.