Growing salmonella outbreak linked to onions: What you need to do - Detroit Free Press

Got onions? Get ready to toss them out.

Federal and state health officials have linked whole onions as the source of a multi-state salmonella outbreak being investigated since August.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said they've traced the source of infections to red, white and yellow whole onions distributed throughout the U.S. by ProSource Inc., to an outbreak of salmonella Oranienburg infections. The onions were imported from Chihuahua, Mexico.

In Michigan, there are nine cases, according to the CDC. A total of 652 cases across 37 states of people have been reported becoming sick and 129 people hospitalized.

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What should you do with onions in your home? What are the signs of a salmonella infection? Here's some guidance: 

What you should do

• Do not buy or eat any red, white or yellow onions imported from Chihuahua, Mexico and distributed by ProSource Inc.
• If you have onions without a label or sticker, or that you don't know the source of, throw them out.
• Wash any surfaces and containers that have come in contact with onions with hot soapy water or in the dishwasher.

About salmonella infections

• Symptoms of a salmonella infection included diarrhea, fever and abdominal cramps. They typically show up six hours to six days after being exposed to the bacteria, the CDC says.
• Salmonella may spread from the intestines to the bloodstream, and then to other places in the body.
• The illness usually lasts four to seven days, and most people recover without treatment.
• In rare cases, salmonella infection can cause death unless the person is treated promptly with antibiotics.
• People with weakened immune systems, children younger than 5 and adults older than 65 years are more likely to have a severe illness.
• If you suspect you have symptoms of salmonella infection, you should contact your health care provider.

CDC advice to help prevent salmonella infection

• Clean: Wash your hands and surfaces often. Wash fruits and vegetables before eating, cutting or peeling.
• Separate: Keep foods that won't be cooked before they are eaten — such as fresh fruit, salads and deli meats — away from raw meat, poultry and seafood.
• Cook: To a temperature high enough to kill germs. Ground beef, veal , pork and lamb should be cooked to an internal temperature of 160 degrees. All poultry products should be cooked to an internal temperature of 165 degrees.
• Chill: Refrigerate perishable foods within 2 hours; 1 hour if it's 90 degrees or hotter outside.

More than three-fourths of people who became sick reported eating or possibly ate raw onion or dishes that contained them, according to the CDC. And several people reported eating at the same restaurants.

These onions were sold in grocery stores and to restaurants and were last imported Aug. 27. But, the CDC says the onions can last up to three months in storage and could be in homes and businesses.

Businesses should not sell or serve fresh whole, red, white or yellows onions from Chihuahua, Mexico and distributed by ProSource Inc. They should check storage coolers for the onions. If the source of the onions is not known, they should be tossed out.

A salmonella outbreak was also linked to whole red, white and yellow onions in 2020. 

The CDC estimates salmonella bacteria causes more than one million infections, 26,500 hospitalizations and 420 deaths in the U.S. every year, and most of the illnesses come from food.

Contact Detroit Free Press food writer Sue Selasky and send food and restaurant news to: 313-222-6872 or sselasky@freepress.com. Follow @SusanMariecooks on Twitter.

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