The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has announced a nationwide recall of whole onions that is set to affect grocery stores across the country, including Santa Clarita.

The FDA, along with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) as well as state and local partners, are investigating a multistate outbreak of Salmonella Oranienburg infections linked to whole, fresh onions.

“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 potentially contaminated whole, fresh onions imported from the State of Chihuahua, Mexico,” read an official statement from the FDA, released Monday.

Salmonella are a group of bacteria that cause gastrointestinal illness, and can spread by unwashed surfaces such as hands, food preparation tools, or raw or undercooked foods.

As of Monday, at least 652 cases of salmonella caused by infected onion had been reported, along with 129 hospitalizations across the nation.

ProSource Produce LLC has voluntarily recalled red, yellow, and white onions 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, according to the FDA.

The onions were distributed to wholesalers, broadline 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

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.

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.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimated that approximately 450 persons in the United States die each year from acute salmonellosis.

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