Salmonella infections reported in Mississippi and Louisiana

A multistate outbreak of salmonella infections linked to onions imported from Chihuahua, Mexico is under investigation by the FDA and CDC.  As of Sunday, 652 cases have been reported nationwide, including some cases Mississippi and Louisiana. Over 100 people have been hospitalized.

Keeler Family Farms and ProSource Produce LLC have each issued voluntary recalls on red, yellow and white whole, fresh onions.  The produce was sold to restaurants, food service locations, wholesalers, and grocery stores across the nation.

Do not eat, sell or serve recalled onions, or products containing recalled onions. All recalled onions were supplied by ProSource Produce LLC and Keeler Family Farms and imported from the State of Chihuahua, Mexico between July 1, 2021 and Aug. 31, 2021. If your onion has a label and it is not from one of the brands listed below originating from the State of Chihuahua, Mexico imported during this timeframe, it is not part of the recalls. If you cannot tell if your onions were recalled, do not eat, sell, or serve them and throw them out.

Recalled onions were distributed under the following brands:

• Big Bull
• Peak Fresh Produce
• Sierra Madre
• Markon First Crop
• Markon Essentials
• Rio Blue
• ProSource
• Rio Valley
• Sysco Imperial
• MVP

Additional descriptors used for these recalled onion types may include, but are not limited to, jumbo, colossal, medium, summer, and sweet onions.

According to the CDC, most people develop symptoms within 72 hours after infection with salmonella, and the illness can last for up to a week. The most common symptoms are diarrhea, fever and abdominal cramps. Severe infections may include high fever, aches, headaches, lethargy, rash and blood in the urine or stool. Most people recover without treatment, but severe cases may result in hospitalization or even death.