Multi-State Salmonella Outbreak Linked to Onions Imported From México

Along with CDC and state and local partners, the FDA investigates a multi-state outbreak of Salmonella Oranienburg infections linked to whole, fresh onions. The CDC reported that 652 people in 37 states had been infected with the outbreak strain, and 129 were hospitalized, with no deaths recorded so far.

FDA’s traceback investigation is ongoing but has identified ProSource Produce, LLC (also known as ProSource Inc.) of Hailey, Idaho, and Keeler Family Farms of Deming, New Mexico, as suppliers of the potentially contaminated whole, fresh onions imported from the State of Chihuahua, Mexico.

On October 22, 2021, Keeler Family Farms issued a voluntary recall of red, yellow, and white whole, fresh onions imported from the State of Chihuahua, Mexico, from July 1, 2021, through August 25, 2021, when the firm received the last shipment of onions from the State of Chihuahua, Mexico. These onions contain a label that is marked as “MVP (product of MX).” Additional details regarding the recalled product are available on the Keeler Family Farms’ recall announcement.

On October 20, 2021, ProSource Produce LLC issued a voluntary recall of red, yellow, and white whole, fresh onions imported from the State of Chihuahua, Mexico, with import dates from July 1, 2021, through August 31, 2021. A complete list of recalled product information is available in ProSource Produce LLC’s recall announcement.

Related Article: Plan and Prepare in the Event of a Product Recall

Restaurants, food service establishments, wholesalers, and retail or grocery stores across the United States purchased these onions from ProSource Produce LLC and Keeler Family Farms.  The investigation is ongoing to determine the source of contamination and if additional products or firms are linked to illness. FDA and the CDC will provide additional information as it becomes available.

Onion Recall Recommendation

Advice for restaurants, retailers, and consumers: 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 August 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.

Additional information about each recall can be found in the ProSource Produce LLC’s recall announcement and the Keeler Family Farms recall announcement.

Onions may last up to three months if stored in a cool, dry place. Restaurants, retailers, and consumers who suspect having purchased such onions may still have them in storage and should not eat, sell, or serve them, and should throw them out.

FDA recommends that anyone who received or suspects having received recalled onions use extra vigilance in cleaning and sanitizing any surfaces and containers that may have come in contact with these products to reduce the risk of cross-contamination. This includes cleaning and sanitizing cutting boards, slicers, countertops, refrigerators, and storage bins.

Consumers who have symptoms of Salmonella infection should contact their health care provider. Most people with salmonellosis develop diarrhea, fever, and abdominal cramps. More severe cases of salmonellosis may include a high fever, aches, headaches, lethargy, a rash, blood in the urine or stool, and in some cases may become fatal.

Suppliers and Distributors: Do not use, ship, or sell red, yellow, or white onions recalled by ProSource Produce LLC or supplied by Keeler Family Farms that were imported from the State of Chihuahua, Mexico, or food products containing such onions. Suppliers and distributors that re-package raw onions should use extra vigilance in cleaning any surfaces and storage areas that may have come into contact with these products. If there has been potential cross-contamination or mixing of onions from other sources with these products, suppliers, and distributors should discard all comingled and potentially cross-contaminated products.

Onion Recall Information

ProSource Produce LLC has voluntarily recalled red, yellow, and white onions imported from the State of Chihuahua, Mexico, with import dates from July 1, 2021, through August 31, 2021. Additional descriptors used for these onion types may include but are not limited to, jumbo, colossal, medium, summer, and sweet onions. Additional recall information will be made public as soon as it is available from ProSource Inc.

The onions were distributed to wholesalers, broad-line foodservice customers, and retail or grocery stores in:

  • 50 lb., 25 lb., 10 lb., 5 lb., 3 lb., and 2 lb. mesh sacks
  • 50 lb., 40 lb., 25 lb., 10 lb., and 5 lb. cartons

And by the following distributors and/or under the following brands:

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

Keeler Family Farms has recalled red, yellow, and white whole, fresh onions imported from the State of Chihuahua, Mexico, with import dates from July 1, 2021, through August 25, 2021. The onions were distributed in 25lb and 50lb mesh sacks. They contain a label that is marked as “MVP (product of MX)”. Additional details regarding the recalled products are available on the Keeler Family Farms recall announcement.

Case Counts

Total Illnesses: 652
Hospitalizations: 129
Deaths: 0
Last Illness Onset: September 30, 2021
States with Cases: AL, AR, CA, CO, CT, FL, GA, IA, IL, IN, KS, KY, LA, MA, MD, MI, MN, MO, MS, NC, ND, NE, NJ, NM, NY, OH, OK, OR, PA, SC, SD, TN, TX, UT, VA, WI, WV
Product Distribution: Nationwide