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[Mindy D]

ANNOUNCEMENT

Thomson International Inc. Conducts Voluntary Recall of Red, Yellow, White, and Sweet Yellow Onions Because of Possible Salmonella Risk

When a company announces a recall, market withdrawal, or safety alert, the FDA posts the company's announcement as a public service. FDA does not endorse either the product or the company.

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Summary

Company Announcement Date: August 01, 2020 FDA Publish Date: August 01, 2020 Product Type: Food & Beverages
Produce Reason for Announcement:

Potential to be contaminated with Salmonella

Company Name: Thomson International, Inc. Brand Name:

Thomson Premium, TLC Thomson International, Tender Loving Care, more

Product Description:

Red, Yellow, White and Sweet Yellow Onions

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Company Announcement

Thomson International Inc. of Bakersfield, California is recalling Red, Yellow, White, and Sweet Yellow Onions shipped from May 1, 2020 through the present.  The onions are being recalled because they have the potential to be contaminated with Salmonella, an organism that 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, infection with Salmonella can result in the organism getting into the bloodstream and producing more severe illnesses such as arterial infections (i.e., infected aneurysms), endocarditis and arthritis.

Onionswere distributed to wholesalers, restaurants, and retail stores in all 50 states, the District of Columbia and Canada.

The onions were distributed in 5 lbs. carton. 10 lbs. carton. 25 lbs. carton. 40 lbs. carton, 50 lbs. carton. bulk, 2 lb. mesh sacks, and 3 lb. mesh sacks, 5 lb. mesh sacks, 10 lb. mesh sacks 25 lbs. mesh sacks, 50 lbs. mesh sacks under the brand names Thomson  Premium, TLC Thomson International, Tender Loving Care, El Competitor, Hartley’s Best, Onions 52, Majestic, Imperial Fresh, Kroger, Utah Onions and Food Lion.

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. 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.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration, along with the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, is investigating a multistate outbreak of Salmonella Newport infections that may be linked to these onions, so Thomson International is recalling the onions out of an abundance of caution.  As of now no specific source of contamination or contaminated shipment has been identified, and FDA is also investigating other potential sources of contamination and has not yet reached a final conclusion.

396 total illnesses have been reported to date including 59 hospitalizations.  States with cases include: AK (6), AZ (14), CA (49), CO (10), FL (3), ID (5), IL (10), IN (2), IA (15), KS (1), KY (1), ME (4), MD (1), MI (23), MN (10), MO (6), MT (33), NE (5), NV (5), NY (4), NC (3), ND (5), OH (7), OR (71), PA (2), SC (1), SD (11), TN (5), TX (1), UT (61), VA (4), WA (2), WI (5), and WY (11).

Consumers who have any Red, Yellow, White, and Sweet Yellow Onions under the above brand names, or who cannot tell if their onions are from Thomson International, should immediately discard these products and disinfect any surfaces that came into contact with the onions.   Consumers with questions may contact the company by calling Kim Earnshaw at 661-845-1111

FDA CORE Posting

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Company Contact Information

Consumers: Kim Earnshaw, Elizabeth Llanes 661-845-1111

ALDIS HAS A link to the RECALL OF THE ONIONS ON ITS website

Release
Contact: Tom Gavin (314) 552-6783
TGavin@webershandwick.com
ALDI Voluntarily Recalls Assorted Onions from Onions 52 Due to Possible Salmonella Newport Contamination
Batavia, Ill. (July 31, 2020) – In partnership with Onions 52, ALDI has voluntarily recalled assorted onions as a precautionary measure due to possible Salmonella Newport contamination.
ALDI has removed all red, white and yellow onions from select ALDI stores in Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Iowa, Illinois, Kentucky, Missouri, Mississippi, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee and Texas. The company also removed sweet onions from select stores in Arkansas, Iowa, Illinois, Missouri, Oklahoma and Texas. The items were also available for purchase through the company’s partnership with Instacart, a grocery delivery service.
The affected products and UPC codes can be found below:
Product
Sweet Onions
Red Onions White Onions Yellow Onions
Packaging
2 lb. bag
2 lb. bag 2 lb. bag 3 lb. bag
UPC Code
033383602912
033383601014
033383600512
033383600024
Affected States
Arkansas, Iowa, Illinois, Missouri, Oklahoma, Texas
Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Iowa, Illinois, Kentucky, Missouri, Mississippi, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas
ALDI takes the safety and integrity of the products it sells seriously. If customers have product affected by this voluntary recall, they should discard it immediately or return it to their local store for a full refund.
Consumers with additional questions can contact Onions 52 Customer Service at 801-200-1330. ALDI sincerely regrets any inconvenience and concern this voluntary recall may cause.
About ALDI U.S.
One of America's fastest growing retailers, ALDI operates nearly 2,000 stores across 36 states. Since 1976, ALDI has offered a unique shopping experience that is designed to save customers money on the groceries they want most while never having to compromise on quality or selection. For more information about ALDI, visit aldi.us.
Miller, Alison (CB US/Marketing), per: 31 July 2020 Page 1/1 G:\Corporate_Buying\Public Relations\Corp Comm\Miller\Issues\Assorted Onions EP

[Mindy D]

[KingstonsMom]

As long as it doesn't effect Vidalia onions (I'm in GA), I'm good!

[Jessa9]

Thank you I just bought some onions.

[Mindy D]

[Q-Checker]

@Mindy D 

Thank you so much for yet another post of valuable health related information. I really appreciate these messages which are always from credible sources. Are you a physician or other health care professional?

[Mindy D]

[Porcelain]

Kind of a basic question. But if I somehow got some of these onions, like in a recipe box, if I washed and peeled them and then cooked them, would the onions still be dangerous to me if they were well cooked? To be clear, I don't think I have any of these onions. Just curious if the issue is strictly people eating them raw like on a burger.

[Marp]

As a FYI if you are unsure about your onions check the UPC and if the numbers start with 033383 they are a Thompson International product.

[Mindy D]

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@Porcelain wrote:

Kind of a basic question. But if I somehow got some of these onions, like in a recipe box, if I washed and peeled them and then cooked them, would the onions still be dangerous to me if they were well cooked? To be clear, I don't think I have any of these onions. Just curious if the issue is strictly people eating them raw like on a burger.

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The problem is that when you handle a contaminated onion, bacteria can be transferred to your hands, your mouth, your fridge, your counter, other raw foods. The fully cooked onions, with *THIS EXACT SPECIES of salmonella, (S. Newport), wouldn't sicken you if fully cooked( I'd have to look up the temp.) but you run the danger of the live bacteria. You certainly don't want to be washing and peeling them because these actions increase your contact with the onion. Right now the FDA does not know exactly which Thompson onions have been contaminated. If you bought a fully cooked burger, cooked well and to 165°F, it would be unlikely you would get sick directly from the burger itself. You could get sick from a worker that handled the raw product spreading salmonella on his or her hands.

*This is because this species of salmonella does not produce a toxin. Some pathogens can make you sick even after you kill the organism because the organism produces toxins that might not be destroyed by cooking.