The onion salmonella outbreak grows. More recalls from Walmart, Kroger, Publix, H-E-B
The Salmonella Newport outbreak linked to onions has expanded into one of the largest in recent years, with 640 people sickened in 43 states, as of the most recent CDC update.
As the outbreak has expanded, so have the associated food recalls.
Food off the shelves
Once Bakersfield, California-based Thomson International initiated a 50-state recall of white, red, yellow and sweet yellow onions last week, the next wave of recalls would be of all the products that included those onions. That wave washed out products sold at Walmart, Kroger and Giant Eagle, all of which were recalled this week.
Also recalled were red onions packaged by Del Monte Fresh Produce and sold via bulk displays at Publix stores in North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Alabama, Tennessee, and Virginia. The Lakeland-based chain says no Florida stores were involved in this recall of red onions shipped to Publix in July with product lookup number 4082.
The USDA put out a Public Health Alert about these onion-containing food products from Taylor Farms, the producer in the earlier Walmart and Kroger recalls. Consumers with any of the below products should return them to the store for a full refund.
▪ Sausage Breakfast Scramble Bowl sold at Walmart with lot Nos. TFD212AU8 and TFD213AU8.
▪ Kroger-sold Taylor Farms Cheddar Cheese & Chicken Salad Snack Tray with use by dates 08/06/20 or 08/07/20 and lot Nos. TFD212AU7 and TFD213AU7.
▪ 41.35-ounce plastic bags containing bulk chicken salad, sold at Kroger, with use by dates 08/04/20 or 08/05/20 and lot Nos. TFD212AU8 and TFD213AU8.
▪ Walmart-sold Chicken Salad Deli Snack with lot Nos. TFD212AU3 and TFD213AU3 and best by dates of 08/06/2020 or 08/07/2020.
▪ H-E-B Shake Rattle & Bowl Southwest Salad with Chicken, best by date of “Aug 10/2020” and lot No. TFD213AU20.
▪ Walmart’s “Marketside Southwest style Salad with Chicken, best by date of 08/11/20 or 08/12/2020 and lot Nos. TFD212AU26 or TFD213AU26.
The above products went to Texas, Mississippi, Arkansas, Louisiana and Oklahoma, according to the USDA, although Walmart’s store list includes many more states. The jar of ham below went to stores in California, Illinois, South Carolina and Iowa and were available by mail order nationwide.
▪ 1.25-pound jar of Amana Meat Shop and Smokehouse Ham Water Added in Vinegar Pickle, lot Nos. E2620, F0320, F3720, F5420, G0620, G1720 and G3920.
The outbreak
The CDC’s state-by-state map says the only states without people sickened: Texas, Louisiana, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Hawaii, Vermont and Rhode Island.
Predictably, considering Thomson International’s California home base, the states with the most ill sit in the Western United States region. Utah (90), Oregon (85), California (76) and Montana (52) account for 303 cases, 47.3 percent of the 640 cases total.
Of the 640 cases, 85 required hospitalization. Salmonella hits about 1.35 million Americans each year, hospitalizing about 26,500, usually with bloody diarrhea, and killing 420. For most people, it means four to seven days of diarrhea, stomachaches and fever.
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