Source: NCSU COLLEGE OF AG & LIFE SCIENCES, 10/25/21

You may have seen the headlines that hundreds of people have gotten sick after eating onions contaminated with Salmonella. More recently, contaminated onions have also been found in pre-packaged, mail-order meal kits. And a lot of people have questions. Are any onions safe? Do I have to throw them away? What’s going on?

To learn more, we talked with NC State food safety expert Ellen Shumaker.

The Abstract: What triggered this food safety alert from the CDC?

Ellen Shumaker: The CDC has issued a food safety alert to notify consumers of a Salmonella outbreak linked to fresh whole red, white, and yellow onions. This outbreak has resulted in more than 600 illnesses and more than 200 hospitalizations across at least 37 states. The contaminated onions were distributed by ProSource Produce LLC and Keeler Family Farms and were imported from Chihuahua, Mexico. ProSource Produce LLC recalled these onions on October 21.

These onions have also been linked with pre-packaged meal kits sent through the mail. You should throw away any onions from Hello Fresh and EveryPlate that were received between July 7 and September 8.

The CDC is advising consumers to check their homes for these onions and throw them away. Also discard any onions if they don’t have a sticker/label and you aren’t sure where they are from.

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