These names include Thomson Premium, TLC Thomson International, Tender Loving Care, El Competitor, Hartley’s Best, Onions 52, Majestic, Imperial Fresh, Kroger, Utah Onions and Food Lion.
The onions were distributed in 5-, 10-, 15-, 40- and 50-pound cartons and in 3-, 5-, 10-, 25-, and 50-pound mesh sacks, as well as in bulk.
Consumers, restaurants and retailers are urged not to eat, sell or serve these onions or products containing them, but instead thrown out. The FDA recommended throwing out the onions even if you can’t tell if the onion is from Thomson International, Inc.
As of 6 p.m. on Monday, there have been 396 salmonella cases reported connected to tainted onions, with 59 total hospitalizations. Seven of these cases were in Ohio.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said that after investigation the outbreak was specifically associated with red onions, but that due to the way onions are grown and harvested, the other three varieties could also be contaminated.
Salmonella can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections in young children, frail or elderly people, and others with weakened immune systems. Healthier people infected with Salmonella often experience diarrhea, fever, nausea, vomiting and abdominal pain. In rare cases, the infection may get into the bloodstream and cause worse illnesses like arterial infections, endocarditis and arthritis.
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