ONIONS FROM MEXICO LINKED TO SALMONELLA OUTBREAKS

East County News Service

October 21, 2021 (San Diego) – A salmonella outbreak in 37 states including California has been linked to fresh red, white, and yellow onions imported from Chihuahua, Mexico and distributed by ProSource Inc. The outbreak has sickened 652 people in the U.S. and resulted in 129 hospitalizations.  

These onions were sold to restaurants and grocery stores throughout the United States, according to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

Consumers are advised not to buy or eat any fresh onions unless you know where they were grown. If there is no sticker, or if they are labeled from Chihuahua, Mexico or ProSource, throw them away or return them to the retailer. Wash any surfaces or containers that the onions touched with hot soapy water or run containers through a dishwasher. Businesses should check coolers and discard any onions of unknown origin or from the contaminated sources.

ProSource Inc. indicated onions were last imported on August 27, but these imported onions can last up to three months in storage and may still be in homes and businesses. 

Investigators are working to determine if other onions and suppliers are linked to this outbreak.

Call your healthcare provider right away if you have any of these severe Salmonella symptoms:

• Diarrhea and a fever higher than 102°F

• Diarrhea for more than 3 days that is not improving

• Bloody diarrhea

• So much vomiting that you cannot keep liquids down

• Signs of dehydration, such as: 

  • Not peeing much

  • Dry mouth and throat

  • Feeling dizzy when standing up

Symptoms of Salmonella

• Most people infected with Salmonella experience diarrhea, fever, and stomach cramps. 

  • Symptoms usually start 6 hours to 6 days after swallowing the bacteria.

  • Most people recover without treatment after 4 to 7 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.

For more information about Salmonella, see the Salmonella Questions and Answers page.