Is It Safe To Eat Onions Again?

TORONTO — The Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC) says onions imported from the United States are once again safe to eat after concluding its investigation into a salmonella outbreak that began this summer.

Are onions safe to eat after they sprout? Yes, onions are safe to eat after they have sprouted. But if you are not sure whether your onions have sprouted, you can check by cutting off a piece from the top of the bulb.

These recalled onions were distributed in cartons and mesh sacks ranging between two and 50 pounds between July 1 and August 31, 2021, in the following states: Alabama, Arkansas, Arizona

Cooking onions to 150 F will kill any potential salmonella, according to Dr. Stephen Amato, a food safety expert and the Director of Global Regulatory Affairs and Quality Assurance Programs at Northwestern University. However, that does not mean you should cook potentially infected onions.

The recalled items are jumbo red onions sold between May 24 and July 31, and jumbo white onions, jumbo yellow onions, and three pound bags of yellow onions sold between May 24 through August 1. The onions were sold at select Food Lion stores in the produce section.

Outbreak Investigation of Salmonella Oranienburg: Whole, Fresh Onions (October 2021)

• Recall Information. FDA published a list of retail establishments that received product recalled by Keeler Family Farms and a list of retail establishments that received product recalled by ProSource Produce
• Case Count Map Provided by CDC
• Useful Links. What is Salmonella?
• Product Images.
• Previous Updates.

How many cases of salmonella in onions?

More than 640 cases and 85 hospitalizations have been reported due to salmonella found in red onions. The likely source is Thomson International, Inc of Bakersfield, California. On August 1, 2020, the company recalled all varieties of onions including red, yellow, white and sweet onions that could have come into contact with …

The FDA recommends that you should not eat any of the recalled onions or recalled products made with these onions. “If you cannot tell if your onion is from Thomson International Inc., or your food product contains such onions, you should not eat, sell, or serve it, and should throw it out,” according to the FDA.

What factors affect the rate of decay of onion?

The rate of decay will depend on the level of bacteria present, the type of bacteria, temperature, oxygen and light, as well as the structure of the vegetable. A second issue concerns the cut onion attracting bacteria.

At home: Wash the vegetables with cool water, use a gentle brush if you want – and dry. Store them in a cool and dry location, or in the refrigerator.

This story about onions has been propagated through the internet and it is not based on scientific fact. There are several issues at play here which can explain the observation.

Placing the onion or vegetable in the refrigerator will typically slow down the bacterial growth, but does not inhibit it completely (and some bacteria actually grow very well at refrigeration temperatures).