Community Chat

[suzyQ3]

@Mindy D, am I reading correctly that all the suspect onions were sold in bags? That's what I got from you opening post. TIA.

[Porcelain]

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@Mindy D wrote:

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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.

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Thank you! I knew salmonella wasn't anything to play around with. But this makes me all the more serious about it. I can see how the bacteria could easily get on countless other things before I had a chance to clean up.

Handling raw chicken always skeeves me out, but it's necessary. I have to keep my wits about me to keep track of what has touched what. Handling toxic onions sounds like it would be even harder. I will take care to avoid!

Thanks again for educating me. It's been a long time since Home Ec. 

[Mindy D]

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@suzyQ3 wrote:

@Mindy D, am I reading correctly that all the suspect onions were sold in bags? That's what I got from you opening post. TIA.

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@suzyQ3 They were sold in boxes and bags to stores, restaurants, food preparers. The onions can then be sold out of this packaging, in the packaging, or used in food preparations. If in doubt about your grocery store, call the store and ask for the produce manager and/or the store manager. Recall to recheck again in a few days because stores receive prepared products such as egg salads and the grocery stores will get updated information as it becomes available to them. We might see some restaurant affected too.

[Mindy D]

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@Porcelain wrote:

---

@Mindy D wrote:

---

@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.

---

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.

---

Thank you! I knew salmonella wasn't anything to play around with. But this makes me all the more serious about it. I can see how the bacteria could easily get on countless other things before I had a chance to clean up.

Handling raw chicken always skeeves me out, but it's necessary. I have to keep my wits about me to keep track of what has touched what. Handling toxic onions sounds like it would be even harder. I will take care to avoid!

Thanks again for educating me. It's been a long time since Home Ec. 

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@Porcelain @Luckily, this does not appear to be a highly dangerous strain. Did you know that you're not supposed to rinse raw chicken or turkey anymore? 

[Porcelain]

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@Mindy D wrote:

---

@Porcelain wrote:

---

@Mindy D wrote:

---

@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.

---

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.

---

Thank you! I knew salmonella wasn't anything to play around with. But this makes me all the more serious about it. I can see how the bacteria could easily get on countless other things before I had a chance to clean up.

Handling raw chicken always skeeves me out, but it's necessary. I have to keep my wits about me to keep track of what has touched what. Handling toxic onions sounds like it would be even harder. I will take care to avoid!

Thanks again for educating me. It's been a long time since Home Ec. 

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@Porcelain @Luckily, this does not appear to be a highly dangerous strain. Did you know that you're not supposed to rinse raw chicken or turkey anymore? 

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I don't rinse chicken or turkey. One point for me! Thank you for the tip. I just hate the juice that is in the packging from the breasts. I always put a plate under it and then it's the grossest thing to handle that plate. Feels like a biohazard. I don't open the packaging until I have the stove ready to cook the chicken. And then there's a lot of handwashing and some tong washing. It's nothing like on Top Chef. 

[Twins Mom]

So much for my onion and cucumber salad!🙁

[suzyQ3]

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@Mindy D wrote:

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@suzyQ3 wrote:

@Mindy D, am I reading correctly that all the suspect onions were sold in bags? That's what I got from you opening post. TIA.

---

@suzyQ3 They were sold in boxes and bags to stores, restaurants, food preparers. The onions can then be sold out of this packaging, in the packaging, or used in food preparations. If in doubt about your grocery store, call the store and ask for the produce manager and/or the store manager. Recall to recheck again in a few days because stores receive prepared products such as egg salads and the grocery stores will get updated information as it becomes available to them. We might see some restaurant affected too.

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@Mindy D, thanks so much. I just dumped some onions that I bought from Ralphs, which is under Kroger umbrella. I requested a refund.

I shop weekly at our local TJs and called them about this. Their onions are not included in the recall, so that's good news for me.

[Mindy D]

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@suzyQ3 wrote:

---

@Mindy D wrote:

---

@suzyQ3 wrote:

@Mindy D, am I reading correctly that all the suspect onions were sold in bags? That's what I got from you opening post. TIA.

---

@suzyQ3 They were sold in boxes and bags to stores, restaurants, food preparers. The onions can then be sold out of this packaging, in the packaging, or used in food preparations. If in doubt about your grocery store, call the store and ask for the produce manager and/or the store manager. Recall to recheck again in a few days because stores receive prepared products such as egg salads and the grocery stores will get updated information as it becomes available to them. We might see some restaurant affected too.

---

@Mindy D, thanks so much. I just dumped some onions that I bought from Ralphs, which is under Kroger umbrella. I requested a refund.

I shop weekly at our local TJs and called them about this. Their onions are not included in the recall, so that's good news for me.

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@suzyQ3 @Isnt Trader Joe's under the ALDI umbrella? If it is, I'd call the produce manager or store manager again. I posted the ALDI UPCs on the bottom of this OP and you could check there but the UPCs will only help if you bought by the bag and not by individual onions or in store packed onions. I'm not buying any ready to eat potato or chicken salad for a few days until all the vendors get notified by their onion suppliers and the product list gets updated. 

[suzyQ3]

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@Mindy D wrote:

---

@suzyQ3 wrote:

---

@Mindy D wrote:

---

@suzyQ3 wrote:

@Mindy D, am I reading correctly that all the suspect onions were sold in bags? That's what I got from you opening post. TIA.

---

@suzyQ3 They were sold in boxes and bags to stores, restaurants, food preparers. The onions can then be sold out of this packaging, in the packaging, or used in food preparations. If in doubt about your grocery store, call the store and ask for the produce manager and/or the store manager. Recall to recheck again in a few days because stores receive prepared products such as egg salads and the grocery stores will get updated information as it becomes available to them. We might see some restaurant affected too.

---

@Mindy D, thanks so much. I just dumped some onions that I bought from Ralphs, which is under Kroger umbrella. I requested a refund.

I shop weekly at our local TJs and called them about this. Their onions are not included in the recall, so that's good news for me.

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@suzyQ3 @Isnt Trader Joe's under the ALDI umbrella? If it is, I'd call the produce manager or store manager again. I posted the ALDI UPCs on the bottom of this OP and you could check there but the UPCs will only help if you bought by the bag and not by individual onions or in store packed onions. I'm not buying any ready to eat potato or chicken salad for a few days until all the vendors get notified by their onion suppliers and the product list gets updated. 

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I'll double-check with the manager, @Mindy D, but whoever took my call seemed very sure.

[suzyQ3]

@Mindy D 

I should be fine now.