The FDA, along with CDC and state and local partners, is 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.
ProSource Produce LLC has 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 full list of recalled product information is available in ProSource Produce LLC’s recall announcement.
FDA’s traceback investigation identified Keeler Family Farms as an additional common supplier of onions from the State of Chihuahua, Mexico for many of the restaurants where sick people reported eating. When FDA met with the firm, the firm agreed to voluntarily recall all red, yellow, and white onions imported from the State of Chihuahua, Mexico, from July 1, 2021, through August 31, 2021. More information regarding their recall will be provided once it is available.
Descriptors of impacted onion types from ProSource Produce LLC and Keeler Family Farms may include, but are not limited to, jumbo, colossal, medium, summer, and sweet onions.
These onions supplied by Prosource were sold to restaurants, food service locations, and retail or grocery stores throughout the United States. The investigation is ongoing to determine the source of contamination and if additional products or firms are linked to illness. Additional information will be provided as it becomes available.
Recommendation
Advice for restaurants, retailers and consumers: Do not eat, sell, or serve 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 from July 1, 2021, through August 31, 2021, or products containing such onions. Consumers should ask if the onions being served or sold were recalled by ProSource Produce LLC or supplied by Keeler Family Farms and imported from the State of Chihuahua, Mexico. If you still cannot determine if your onions were recalled by ProSource Produce LLC or supplied by Keeler Family Farms and imported from the State of Chihuahua, Mexico, do not sell, serve, or eat them, and throw them out.
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 onions recalled by ProSource Produce LLC or supplied by Keeler Family Farms that were imported from the State of Chihuahua, Mexico, from July 1, 2021, through August 31, 2021 to 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 product.
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, 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
Case Count Map Provided by CDC
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
Useful Links
- Recalled Products
- What is Salmonella?
- Food Safety Tips for Consumers and Retailers During an Outbreak
- Who to Contact
- FDA in Brief
- CDC Outbreak Page
Product Images
The following are ProSource Produce LLC product images. See full details on the recalled products.
Previous Updates
October 20, 2021
The FDA, along with CDC and state and local partners, is investigating a multistate outbreak of Salmonella Oranienburg infections linked to whole, fresh onions. FDA’s traceback investigation is ongoing but has identified ProSource Inc. (also known as ProSource Produce, LLC) of Hailey, Idaho as a source of potentially contaminated whole, fresh onions imported from the State of Chihuahua, Mexico. ProSource Inc. has agreed to voluntarily recall red, yellow, and white onions imported from the State of Chihuahua, Mexico, with import dates from July 1, 2021 through August 27, 2021.
Epidemiological data collected by investigators from the CDC and state and local partners identified 20 illness clusters at restaurants where onions were served. Information from these clusters shows that many ill people ate raw onions. Investigators worked to identify a common food item eaten by all of the sick people in an effort to identify the source of the outbreak.
State officials collected food items from some of the restaurants where sick people ate. The outbreak strain of Salmonella Oranienburg was found in a sample taken from a takeout condiment cup containing cilantro and lime. The sick person reported that the condiment container also contained onions, but none were left in the cup when it was tested. Because multiple food items were present in the container and in the sample that was tested, it is not possible to know which food item was contaminated.
FDA’s traceback investigation identified ProSource Inc. as a common supplier for many of the restaurants that sick people reported eating at, including the restaurant where the sample from the condiment cup containing cilantro, lime, and previously onions, was collected.
