OTTAWA, ON – The food recall warning issued on July 30, 2020 has been updated to include additional distribution and product information. This additional information was identified during the Canadian Food Inspection Agency’s (CFIA) food safety investigation.
Industry is recalling red, yellow, white, and sweet yellow onions grown by Thomson International Inc., Bakersfield, California, and imported from the USA from the marketplace due to possible Salmonella contamination. Consumers should not consume the recalled products described below or foods containing these raw onions. Retailers, distributors, manufacturers, and food service establishments such as hotels, restaurants, cafeterias, hospitals, and nursing homes should not serve, use, or sell the recalled products described below.
These products may also have been purchased on-line or through various restaurant locations. They may also have been sold in bulk or in smaller packages with or without a label and may not bear the same brand or product names as described below. The CFIA will continue its investigation into other possible importers and additional recalls may follow.
The following products have been sold in British Columbia, Alberta, Manitoba, Saskatchewan and Ontario, Northwest Territories, Yukon and may have been distributed in other provinces and territories.
Recalled products
| Brand | Product | Size | UPC | Codes | Additional information |
| El CompetidorImperial FreshOnions 52 Tender Loving CareThomson InternationalThomson International PremiumThomson Premium | Yellow OnionsRed OnionsWhite OnionsSweet Yellow Onions | All sizesincluding bulk | Variable | All products imported since May 1, 2020 | Mesh SackCartonBox |
What you should do
If you think you became sick from consuming a recalled product, call your doctor.
Check to see if you have the recalled products in your home or establishment. Recalled products should be thrown out or returned to the location where they were purchased. If you are unsure of the identity of the onions in your possession, check with your place of purchase.
Food contaminated with Salmonella may not look or smell spoiled but can still make you sick. Young children, pregnant women, the elderly and people with weakened immune systems may contract serious and sometimes deadly infections. Healthy people may experience short-term symptoms such as fever, headache, vomiting, nausea, abdominal cramps and diarrhea. Long-term complications may include severe arthritis.
- Learn more about the health risks
- Sign up for recall notifications by email and follow us on social media
- View our detailed explanation of the food safety investigation and recall process
- Report a food safety or labelling concern
Background
This recall was triggered by the CFIA during its investigation into a foodborne illness outbreak followed by a recall in the United States by Thomson International Inc. located in Bakersfield, California. The CFIA is conducting a food safety investigation, which may lead to the recall of other products. If other high-risk products are recalled, the CFIA will notify the public through updated Food Recall Warnings.
The CFIA is verifying that industry is removing the recalled products from the marketplace.
Illnesses
The Public Health Agency of Canada is investigating an outbreak of human illness. Please refer to the Public Health Notice for further details on this active outbreak investigation.
