Salmonella case count soars in onion outbreak – UPDATED

As of August 7, 2020, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has received reports of 640 confirmed cases of Salmonella Newport infections across 43 states.

Eight-five outbreak victims have required hospitalization.

In addition to the US outbreak, 239 confirmed cases have been reported to the Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC) across seven provinces as of August 7th. Twenty-nine Canadians have been hospitalized.

According to the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) illnesses in both countries have been linked to red onions grown and supplied by Thomson International, Inc. (Thomson) of Bakersfield, CA.

On August 1st, Thomson recalled all varieties of onions that could have come in contact with potentially contaminated red onions, including red, yellow, white, and sweet yellow onions shipped from May 1, 2020 to present.

The recalled onions were supplied to customers in the USA and Canada under several brand names, including:

Thomson Premium
TLC Thomson International
Tender Loving Care
El Competitor
Hartley’s Best
Onions 52
Majestic
Imperial Fresh
Kroger
Utah Onions
Food Lion

In addition to the Thomson recall, companies in the United States and Canada have recalled Thomson-supplied onions or products that contain onions on the Thomson recall list. Please follow the links to the individual recall notices for a complete list of products.

US recalls

ALDI
Brookshire’s Food and Pharmacy (Southwest Turkey Cobb Salads)
Costco Wholesale (multiple recall notices)
Department of Defense Commissaries
Giant Eagle
Food Lion
Fred Meyer
Fry’s Food Stores
H-E-B
Kroger
Martin’s Groceries, Supermarket & Pharmacy
Publix Super Markets
Schnucks
Smith’s
Stop&Shop
Super 1 Foods
Taylor Farms (products without meat)
Taylor Farms (products containing meat)
Walmart (multiple recall notices)

Canadian recalls

List of recalled products in Canada
Costco Canada
Freshpoint Foodservice
Giant Tiger
Multiple companies
Sysco

This outbreak is not over. Both CDC and PHAC are anticipating additional cases. To keep yourself and your family and your customers safe, please take note of the following guidance:

Advice to consumers

Check your home for red, white, yellow, and sweet varieties, including whole, sliced, or chopped onions, and any prepared foods that contain onions as an ingredient, such as premade salads, sandwiches, wraps, salsas or dips.

If you have onions at home:
- Look for a label showing where the onion was grown. It may be printed on the package or on a sticker.
- If the packaging or sticker shows that it is from Thomson International Inc., don’t eat it. Throw it away and wash your hands.
- If it isn’t labeled, don’t eat it. Throw it away and wash your hands.
- If you don’t know whether the onion found in a premade salad, sandwich, wrap, salsa or dip contains onions from Thomson International Inc., don’t eat it. Throw it away and wash your hands.
- Wash and sanitize any surfaces that may have come in contact with onions or their packaging, such as countertops, fridge drawers, pantry shelves, knives, and cutting boards.
If you buy onions at grocery or convenience stores:
- Make sure they are not selling onions from Thomson International Inc., or serving fresh foods prepared with them.
- If you can’t confirm that the onion in stores is not from Thomson International Inc., don’t buy it.
If you order salad or any other food items containing onions at a restaurant or food establishment:
- Ask the staff whether their onions come from Thomson International Inc. If they did, or they don’t know, don’t eat it.
Do not eat any recalled food products. Check to see if you have recalled food products at home. If you do, throw them out and wash your hands.
If you believe you are experiencing symptoms of a Salmonella infection, consult a healthcare practitioner immediate.
If you have been diagnosed with a Salmonella infection or any other gastrointestinal illness, do not cook food for other people.
Contact your local public health authority to report any food safety concerns at restaurants or grocery stores, or if you suspect food poisoning from a restaurant or other food establishments.

Advice to restaurants, retailers, suppliers and distributors

Check the label on bags or boxes of onions, or ask their suppliers about the source of their onions.
Do not ship or sell onions from Thomson International Inc. of Bakersfield, California, USA, or any products made with these onions.
Clean and sanitize all surfaces and storage bins that onions may have come in contact with, including cutting boards, countertops, slicers, utensils, and containers used to store or transport them.

US exports Cyclospora outbreak to Canada

The Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC) has received reports of 37 confirmed cases of Cyclospora illnesses in Ontario (26), Quebec (10) and Newfoundland and Labrador (1).

The infections developed between mid-May and mid-June. One person has been hospitalized.

PHAC considers the outbreak to be ongoing, as the agency continues to receive reports of recent illnesses.

At least some of the outbreak victims report having eaten certain Fresh Express brand salad products containing iceberg lettuce, red cabbage and carrots before they fell ill. The rest of the cases are still under investigation.

On June 29, 2020, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency announced a recall of twelve varieties of Fresh Express brand salad products, which had been imported from the USA.

At the time of the recall, no Canadian illnesses associated with these products had been reported to PHAC.

The salad mixes implicated in this outbreak, and in a concurrent 8-state outbreak in the US, were produced at the Fresh Express facility located in Streamwood, Illinois. FDA is conducting a detailed traceback investigation into the source of the contamination.

The Cyclospora outbreak in the US has spread to 8 midwestern states, and has sickened at least 509 individuals as of CDC’s most recent (July 9, 2020) update. Thirty-three people have been hospitalized.

Lab-confirmed cases have been reported in Illinois (151), Iowa (160), Kansas (5), Minnesota (63), Missouri (46) Nebraska (48), North Dakota (6), and Wisconsin (30).

The following companies have announced product recalls in the USA due to Cyclospora contamination. Please click on the links for additional information on recalled products.

The recalled products have been distributed nationwide across Canada and in the following US states: Arkansas, Connecticut, Delaware, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Massachusetts, Maryland, Maine, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, North Carolina, North Dakota, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Tennessee, Virginia, Vermont, Wisconsin, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia.

Products may have been further distributed and sent to retailers in additional states, according to FDA.

Consumers in Canada and the USA should check their refrigerators and discard any recalled products with production codes beginning with lot code “Z177” or a lower number and have best before dates up to and including 20JUL08 – 20JUL14. This includes Fresh Express brand products in Canada and both Fresh Express and the above-mentioned store brands in the USA.

Symptoms of Cyclospora infection usually begin within one week of consuming a contaminated product and may include: watery diarrhea, abdominal bloating and gas, fatigue (tiredness), stomach cramps, loss of appetite, weight loss, mild fever, and/or nausea. Symptoms may disappear and then return over a period of several weeks without treatment.

If you think you may have eaten a recalled product and are experiencing these symptoms, please consult a health care professional without delay.

Recalls and Alerts: October 13 – 16, 2019

Here is today’s list of food safety recalls, product withdrawals, allergy alerts and miscellaneous compliance issues. The live links will take you directly to the official recall notices and company news releases that contain detailed information for each recall and alert.

If you would like to receive automatic email alerts for all new articles posted on eFoodAlert, please submit your request using the sidebar link.

United States

OUTBREAK ALERT: CDC reports an outbreak of 21 Salmonella Oranienburg illnesses in 13 states linked to pet turtles. Seven people have been hospitalized.

PUBLIC HEALTH ALERT: USDA issues a public health alert for raw non-intact beef products derived from imported beef from Ontario, Canada that has been recalled by Ryding-Regency Meat Packers, Ltd. because it may be contaminated with E. coli O157:H7. Please refer to the Alert for a complete list of affected products.

Allergy Alert: Peekay International Inc. recalls KESHAV Dry Apricot (7-oz and 14-oz pkgs; UPC 4386423302 and 4386423303, respectively) due to undeclared sulphites.

Allergy Alert: Samurai, Inc. recalls Furikake Popcorn (5-oz pkg; Best by 103019, 111519, 113019 and 121519) due to undeclared fish.

Food Safety Recall (Update): Mical Seafood, Inc. recalls frozen, wild-caught yellowfin Tuna Loins, Tuna Poke, Tuna Steaks, Tuna Ground Meat, and Tuna Saku (Products of Vietnam) due to elevated histamine levels. Please refer to the recall notice for a complete list of affected products.

Food Safety Recall: Kenosha Beef International recalls TACO BELL SEASONED BEEF Taco and Burrito Filling (8 x 5-lb bag cases; Use by L2 11/4/19 to L2 11/18/19) due to possible foreign matter (metal shavings) contamination.

Canada

Food Safety Recall: Les Moules de la Baie de Gaspé inc. recalls MOULES FRAÎCHES / Fresh mussels (bulk; Sold up to and including October 15, 2019; Harvest zone G-27.9E) due to presence of marine biotoxins.

Food Safety Recall (Update): Brenner Packers Ltd., Centennial Foods, Concord Premium Meats Ltd., Doug’s Quality Meats, George’s Meat Shop, Green Fresh Supermarket, Jian Hing Food Mart, Kingsway Meats, Lakeside Meats, North Hill Meats and Deli Ltd., Nortown Foods, P.A.T. Oriental Market, Pusateri’s Fine Foods, Sarajevo Grill and Meat, The Butcher’s Blend, The Garden Basket, Valley Custom Cutting, YNR Halal Inc. recall various raw beef and raw veal products due to E. coli O157:H7 contamination. Please refer to the recall notice for a complete list of affected products.

Food Safety Recall: Saucisses et Salami Mondial recalls JAMBON PARISIEN / Ham (150g slices; Best before October 18, 2019) due to possible Listeria monocytogenes contamination.

Food Safety Recall (Correction): Loblaw Companies Limited corrects its previous recall announcement and recalls instead President’s Choice brand Sensitive to lactose milk-based powdered infant formula (638g; EXP 2020 NO 05; UPC 0 60383 12994 1) instead of President’s Choice brand Lower Iron milk based powdered infant formula as previously announced by the company. The recalled product may be contaminated with Cronobacter spp.

Food Safety Recall: Industry recalls various ready-to-eat dried sausages due to Salmonella contamination. Please refer to the recall notice for a complete list of affected products.

Food Safety Recall Update: Industry recalls various raw beef and raw veal products due to E. coli O157:H7 contamination. Please refer to the recall notice for a complete list of affected products.

Europe

Allergy Alert (France): Cité Marine recalls AUCHAN LE POISSONNIER brand Filets de cabillaud façon fish & chips / cod fillets (880g; Lot #9282528; Best before 28/10/19) due to undeclared egg.

Allergy Alert (France): Industry recalls La Salade Monoprix brand POTIMARRON tartinade de lentilles corail quinoa (Best before 14/10/2019) due to undeclared peanuts.

Allergy Alert (UK – Northern Ireland specific): Lidl Northern Ireland recalls three J.D. Gross Mini Chocolate Bites products due to lack of English language labeling for allergens, including, barley, cereals containing gluten, egg, milk, nuts (almonds, hazelnuts and others), peanuts, sesame and soya). Please refer to the recall notice for a complete list of affected products.

Food Safety Recall (Austria): Hofkäserei Deutschmann GbR recalls various BILLA, MERKUR, ADEG und Sutterlüty brands of Camembert and Brie organic cheeses due to Listeria monocytogenes contamination. Please refer to the recall notice for a complete list of affected products.

Food Safety Recall (France): CHARCUTERIE VALLE DE LA BRUCHE recalls Auchan le Charcutier brand Choucroute Garnie pour 6 personnes / Sauerkraut Garnish, 6 servings (2,5kg; Lot #061275; Best before 27/10/2019) due to Listeria monocytogenes contamination.

Food Safety Recall (Germany): RAPUNZEL Naturkost recalls Rapunzel Klare Suppe (250g; Best before 18.09.2020) due to possible foreign matter (glass splinters) contamination.

Food Safety Recall (Iceland): Reykjagarður recalls certain fresh chicken from Reykjagardi sold under the labels of Holta, Kjarfugl and Krona due to possible Salmonella contamination. Please refer to the recall notice for a complete list of affected products.

Food Safety Recall (Ireland): Birds Eye recalls Birds Eye 50 Chicken Nuggets with Golden Wholegrain (790g; Batch codes L9208 W V124, L9208 X V124, L9208 Y V124, L9208 Z V124; Best before October 2020) due to possible foreign matter (small pieces of plastic) contamination.

Food Safety Recall (UK): Birds Eye recalls Birds Eye 50 Chicken Nuggets with Golden Wholegrain (790g; Batch codes L9208 W V124, L9208 X V124, L9208 Y V124, L9208 Z V124; Best before October 2020) due to possible foreign matter (small pieces of plastic) contamination.

Australia and New Zealand

Food Safety Recall (New Zealand): Pak’n Save Clarence Street (Hamilton) recalls Pak’n Save Clarence Street brand NZ Beef Mince (All tray sizes; Best before 10.10.19) due to possible foreign matter (plastic) contamination.