Are Onions Safe to Eat Right Now?
Onions have been linked a major salmonella outbreak in 37 states. While there is no official recall yet, you'll want to throw away any onions that you're unsure about. Cooking won't make them safe to eat.
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The CDC released information on October 20th, 2021 in relation to an active investigation of a major salmonella outbreak. The culprits are fresh, whole red, white and yellow onions imported from ProSource Inc. based out of Chihuahua, Mexico. The infected onions were distributed throughout the Unites States and have been linked to 652 illnesses and 129 hospitalizations in 37 states (thankfully there have been no deaths). The onions were sold to both grocery stores and restaurants and were last imported on August 27th, 2021. Given that onions can last up to 3 months in storage there is the potential that they may still be in circulation.
Do You Have Infected Onions?
While the CDC has not activated an official recall, consumers should still act: Look for stickers on your onions that say ProSource Inc. and/or Mexico. If you can’t tell where your onions came from then throw them out.
Cooking these onions won’t make them safe to eat. If you think you bought these onions, you should throw them out and clean and sanitize any surfaces or containers that may have come into contact with the recalled products including counter tops, refrigerator, storage bins, cutting boards and knives.
Symptoms of salmonellosis include diarrhea, fever and stomach cramps. More severe cases you may have a high fever, aches, headache, extreme fatigue, rash, blood in the stool or urine, and sometimes it is fatal. If you think you may have salmonella infection, contact your physician.
Check back for status updates and more information regarding this active investigation.
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