Outbreak Investigation Update - Salmonella in Red Onions - October 2020

FDA issued an update on the Salmonella outbreak associated with red onions which was first identified in July when Canadian authorities issued notice.  In the US, there were 1,127 cases with 167 hospitalizations.  The onions originated from Thompson International, which issued a recall, and that recall spurned other recalls where the onions were used in various other products.

At this point, CDC is saying that that outbreak appears over.  While FDA identified Thompson International as the source, FDA had not been able to identify any definitive reason for the contamination. 

 "FDA has completed over 2000 product and environmental analyses from multiple Thomson International Inc. locations and surrounding areas, including water, soil, and scat samples. Although a variety of genetic strains of Salmonella Newport have been detected, as well as multiple other Salmonella serotypes, a genetic match to the outbreak strain has yet to be identified in any of the samples collected. Additional sample analysis is underway. Although the outbreak is being declared over, the FDA will continue its root cause investigation and will communicate any findings that could assist future prevention efforts. "

FDA Outbreak Investigation
https://www.fda.gov/food/outbreaks-foodborne-illness/outbreak-investigation-salmonella-newport-red-onions-july-2020
Outbreak Investigation of Salmonella Newport: Red Onions (July 2020)
CDC announces the end of the outbreak; FDA continues its investigation.

Case Counts
Total Illnesses: 1,127
Hospitalizations: 167
Deaths: 0
Last illness Onset Date: September 11, 2020
States with Cases: AK (25), AL (2), AZ (39), AR (2), CA (128), CO (32), CT (2), DE (2), FL (8), GA (11), HI (3), ID (43), IL (54), IN (4), IA (31), KS (3), KY (3), ME (6), MD (7), MA (2), MI (47), MN (19), MS (5), MO (11), MT (72), NE (10), NV (11), NH (1), NJ (12), NM (3), NY (14), NC (6), ND (9), OH (11), OK (1), OR (109), PA (27), RI (3), SC (1), SD (23), TN (7), TX (2), UT (115), VA (10), WA (150), WV (3), WI (11), WY (27)

FDA Updates Salmonella Outbreak Associated with Thomson Intl Onions, Hello Fresh Issues Recall

FDA provided an update on the Salmonella outbreak associated with onions from Thomson International.  AS of 8/18/2020, there are 869 cases with 116 hospitalized.  As for cause, the investigation is till ongoing.

In a related recall, HelloFresh is directly its customers to discard all onions received from May 8 through July 31, 2020 after it was notified by its supplier that it used the recall onions.

https://www.fda.gov/food/outbreaks-foodborne-illness/outbreak-investigation-salmonella-newport-red-onions-july-2020
Outbreak Investigation of Salmonella Newport: Red Onions (July 2020)
Do not eat, sell, or serve recalled onions from Thomson International, Inc. or products containing recalled onions..

Case Counts
Total Illnesses: 869
Hospitalizations: 116
Deaths: 0
Illness Onset Date Range: August 4, 2020

States with Cases: AK (15), AL (1), AZ (35), AR (2), CA (115), CO (25), CT (2), DE (2), FL (5), GA (6), HI (3), ID (34), IL (49), IN (3), IA (23), KS (2), KY (1), ME (5), MD (7), MA (2), MI (44), MN (18), MS (4), MO (10), MT (63), NE (10), NV (11), NH (1), NJ (2), NM (1), NY (10), NC (5), ND (9), OH (11), OR (94), PA (15), RI (2), SC (1), SD (20), TN (5), TX(2), UT (105), VA (10), WA (50), WV (2), WI (10), WY (17)

Retailers Recall Cheese Dip and Salsa Made with Recalled Onions

Kroger, Meyer, and Smiths are recalling cheese dip under the brands MURRAY'S, JARLSBERG, DELI because they were made with onions recalled for Salmonella. "On July 31, the company was notified by supplier Onions 52 that it had received red, yellow, and white onions from Thomson International, Inc., which had been implicated in the salmonella-related outbreak. On August 1, bulk onions sourced from Thomson International, Inc. were removed from sale in stores that had been identified as receiving the affected product. Subsequently, it was determined that several in-store made cheese dips may have used red onions from the produce department as an ingredient. The dips, which are in plastic containers, were sold between May 15, 2020 and August 6, 2020.:

Spokane Produce, Inc. of Spokane, WA is recalling salsa products containing onions as part of the onion recall initiated by Thomson International, Inc.

Kroger Recalls Cheese Dips Because of Possible Health Risk
https://www.fda.gov/safety/recalls-market-withdrawals-safety-alerts/kroger-recalls-cheese-dips-because-possible-health-risk

Kroger Delta Division Recalls Cheese Dips Because of Possible Health Risk
https://www.fda.gov/safety/recalls-market-withdrawals-safety-alerts/kroger-delta-division-recalls-cheese-dips-because-possible-health-risk

Kroger Mid-Atlantic Recalls Cheese Dips Because of Possible Health Risk
https://www.fda.gov/safety/recalls-market-withdrawals-safety-alerts/kroger-mid-atlantic-recalls-cheese-dips-because-possible-health-risk

Fred Meyer Recalls Cheese Dips Because of Possible Health Risk
https://www.fda.gov/safety/recalls-market-withdrawals-safety-alerts/fred-meyer-recalls-cheese-dips-because-possible-health-risk

Fry’s Food Stores Recalls Cheese Dips Because of Possible Health Risk
https://www.fda.gov/safety/recalls-market-withdrawals-safety-alerts/frys-food-stores-recalls-cheese-dips-because-possible-health-risk

Smith’s Recalls Cheese Dips Because of Possible Health Risk
https://www.fda.gov/safety/recalls-market-withdrawals-safety-alerts/smiths-recalls-cheese-dips-
because-possible-health-risk

Spokane Produce Inc. Issues Recall of Products Containing Onions Because of Possible Health Risk
https://www.fda.gov/safety/recalls-market-withdrawals-safety-alerts/spokane-produce-inc-issues-recall-products-containing-onions-because-possible-health-risk

Companies Issue Recalls for Products Containing Recalled Thomson Onions

FDA and FSIS issued notices for companies that had manufactured and distributed products using onions that had been included in onions recalled by Thomson International as part of the Salmonella outbreak.  Taylor Farms, Amana Meat Shop and Smokehouse and Giant Eagle issued recalls of product containing the onions.

https://www.fsis.usda.gov/wps/portal/fsis/home/!ut/p/a1/04_Sj9CPykssy0xPLMnMz0vMAfGjzOINAg3MDC2dDbwsfDxdDDz9AtyMgnyMDf3dDIAKIkEKcABHA0L6w_WjUJX4Wxq6AZWEBfp7OzsbWPgZwxTgtqIgN8Ig01FREQBCfym8/?
FSIS Issues Public Health Alert For Ready-to-Eat Meat and Poultry Products Containing FDA-Regulated Onions that have been Recalled due to Possible Salmonella Newport Contamination 

Onion Recall Cascades as Customers Recall Products Made with Suspect Onions

The Gill Onion recall is cascading as a number of retail chains are recalling products made with the recalled onions. To date, there have been a dozen or so companies recalling products made with the recalled onions. Here, like so many past recalls, we can see the impact of upstream suppliers on their customers. Traceability is key in that you know who your suppliers are, and where their product is being used.

The best news is that there have been no illnesses to date. In such a big recall, you might expect to have some illnesses associated with the product. So what are some reasons. Certainly luck may be a part of it, but there may be a few others that impact this:
- Low level of contamination.
- The Listeria monocytogenes serotype involved – As per Dr. Steve Knabel ‘of the 13 serotypes, there are 4 that account for the vast majority of cases of human illness.’ There are serotypes of L. monocytogenes that do not have the necessary genes to cause disease. While it is unknown at this point if this is the case, we can’t assume that it is. Further, if the conditions in the processing facility supported one serotype of L. monocytogenes, then it often assumed that those conditions can support the more virulent strains.


Gills recall sparks dozens of related product recalls
08/02/2012 3:06:26 PM
Coral Beachhttp://www.thepacker.com/fruit-vegetable-news/Gills-recall-sparks-dozens-of-product-recalls-164791766.html

A recall of one day’s production from a Gills Onions plant — that was expanded a week later to an “undeterminable” volume — caused a cascade effect as retailers and processors recalled more than 150 fresh products.

As of Aug. 2, fears of listeria contamination spurred five retail chains and seven fresh food producers to voluntarily recall products because they included recalled Gills onions.
No illnesses have been linked to any of the recalled produce or fresh products, according to multiple FDA recall notices at http://tinyurl.com/FDA-recalls.

Gills, Oxnard, Calif., initially recalled about 6,000 pounds of fresh-cut onions and celery July 18 after a random sample taken at retail by the Food and Drug Administration tested positive for listeria.

The company expanded the recall July 26 to include an unknown volume of whole onions and other chopped onions because investigators found listeria at one of Gills’ two Oxnard fresh-cut facilities. That facility has been closed since July 17 when FDA officials notified Gills of the positive test at retail, according to Gills spokeswoman Amy Philpott.

“Because the July 25 expanded recall does not include a beginning use-by-date, but rather included recalled products with use-by dates on or before Aug. 3, the number of recalled pounds is undeterminable,” according to a Gills onion statement.

“In the interest of public health, the company simply included all recalled products in the marketplace,” according to the release.

Philpott said the facility will remain closed until the listeria contamination problem is resolved. Gills continues to operate another processing facility in a separate building.
“They are running extra shifts, but orders are a bit behind,” Philpott said, adding that some retail and specialty product orders probably will not be met.

“Steve Gill has said it will take as long as it takes to resolve the problem.”

Gill has not been available for interviews, but he did include a statement in the recall notice: “We’ve identified the problem, and we are taking aggressive actions to prevent this from happening again.”

The actions include forming a panel of food safety experts and microbiologists with expertise in listeria control, expanding required microbial surveillance and sanitation programs, and continued testing.

“They also have a team looking at possibly redesigning the facility,” Philpott said.

In late May Gills recalled 2,360 pounds of diced red onions in the U.S. and Canada after the Canadian Food Inspection Agency did a random sample and got a positive result for listeria.

Gills built both of the facilities in Oxnard in the late 90s, Philpott said, and both were built specifically for onion processing. Gills started producing in the facility that is now shut down 15 years ago. The other facility, which is larger, opened 12 years ago.

As of the Aug 2, FDA’s recall Web page showed the following recalls related to the recalled Gills onions:

Simmering Soup Inc., Atlanta, recalled Trader Joe’s brand salsas and balela;
Whole Foods Markets recalled about 35 fresh food products in Florida stores;
Cool Creations LLC, North Kansas City, Mo., recalled about 20 fresh food products;
Wegmans Food Markets Inc. recalled six fresh food products;
GH Foods CA LLC recalled almost 90 fresh food products under a variety of store and specialty brands, including: Delish, Albertsons generic label, Garden Highway, Marketside, Natural Directions, Pacific Coast, Raley’s, Safeway Farms, Signature Cafe, Sprouts and Trader Joe’s;
Huxtable’s Kitchen, recalled Trader Joe’s brand roasted butternut squash, red quinoa and wheatberry salad;
Stop & Shop Supermarket Co. LLC recalled Costa Fruit & Produce brand calico bean salad from salad bars;
Spartan Stores, Grand Rapids, Mich., recalled Spartan Fresh Selections three bean salad and broccoli stir fry products;
Publix Super Markets recalled custom sub sandwiches that contain onions;
Ken’s Foods Inc. recalled cole slaw sauce, baked bean sauce and three brands of tartar sauce;
Garden Fresh Foods Inc. recalled ready-to-eat salads, slaw, salsa, bean and dip products; and
San Miguel Produce Inc., Oxnard, recalled packaged salad kits under the Cut ‘N Clean brand.