On October 20, 2021, the U.S. Center for Disease Control (CDC) posted a Food Safety Alert for a Salmonella outbreak linked to onions. The CDC and U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) epidemiologic and traceback data shows that illnesses in this outbreak are linked to whole red, white and yellow onions imported from Chihuahua, Mexico. Investigators are working to determine if other onions are linked to this outbreak.
As of today, there are 652 total infections from the outbreak strain Salmonella Oranienburg with 129 illnesses resulting in hospitalization across 37 states. No deaths have been reported. Illnesses started on dates ranging from May 31, 2021, to September 30, 2021. The CDC and the FDA recommend that you not eat, sell or serve fresh whole red, white or yellow onions that were imported from Chihuahua, Mexico.
The distributor of these onions has agreed to voluntarily recall red, yellow and white onions imported from the State of Chihuahua, Mexico, with import dates from July 1, 2021, through August 27, 2021. Descriptors of these onion types include, but are not limited to, jumbo, colossal, medium and sweet onions.
More details will be released as the investigation continues. If you have any questions or comments regarding this outbreak, please reach out to [email protected].