Salmonella infections broke out across 43 US states last week, which sickened 640 people. Doctors believe that the bacteria spread in the country through onions.
FDA Warns Against Salmonella in Onions
In response to the outbreak, the US Food and Drug Administration warned Americans not to buy onions from Thomson International Inc. Their warning covered all types of onions: red, white, yellow, and sweet onions.
Moreover, the Centers for Disease Prevention and Control (CDC) also warned Americans not to handle onions at all. They urged the public to avoid all onions if they don’t know their origins.
A salmonella outbreak caused by onions is expanding and has infected 640 people from 43 states. At least 85 of them have been hospitalized, the CDC said. https://t.co/krVKgNHiY3
— CNN (@CNN) August 8, 2020
Where the Salmonella Onions Came From
Many stores carried the infected onions, packaged under different brand names. These stores include Walmart, Kroger, Publix, and many others.
To curb the outbreak, many companies also recalled their various onion products, from chicken salad to pizza and diced raw onions. In their warning, the CDC said people should check their homes for any recalled onion products and throw them away. Even cooking them will not make them safe to eat, the CDC added.
How to Know If You Have Salmonella
If you have salmonella, you’ll experience symptoms like diarrhea, fever, and stomach cramps after eating the contaminated food. The amount of time before you suffer symptoms vary, from just six hours to six days. Five-year-old children, 65-year-old adults, and people with weak immune systems will experience more severe symptoms.
Once you feel the symptoms, contact your doctor immediately. Inform the health department about your illness. Also, tell them what you ate the week before you got sick.
Check if the salmonella outbreak has reached your state by looking at the CDC’s complete list here.
