The Gills Onions recall for possible Listeria monocytogenes contamination has unleashed a domino effect of other recalls. The recalled products used the Gills Onions products as an ingredient. This is similar to the Michael Foods egg recall back in January and February, when 150,000 pounds of hard-cooked eggs were recalled for possible Listeria.
The problem with Listeria contamination is that it can take up to 70 days for symptoms to appear. Many people who become ill with listeriosis, which seems like the flu, do not associate the contaminated food they ate with the illness. If you have eaten anything containing onions and develop symptoms of listeriosis in the next two months, see your healthcare provider.
We decided to collect all of the derivative recalls into one place to keep track of them. The recalls started on July 19, 2012 with the original recall of diced and slivered red and yellow onions and diced celery and onion mix. That recall was expanded on July 26, 2012 to include diced, slivered, and whole peeled onions and diced onion/celery mix with use-by dates on or before August 3, 2012.
At least fifteen derivative recalls have been announced. The first was on July 26, 2012, when Sartori Inspirations recalled Ciolo products including tapenade, mango salsa, and spinach feta dip, among others, because they were made with the recalled products. (That recall page has been removed from the FDA site; we do not know why.) Then on July 27, 2012, Huxtable’s Kitchen recalled Trader Joe’s BBQ Chicken Salad because Gills Onions products were used to make it.
Whole Foods Market in Florida on July 27, 2012 recalled many products, including shrimp salad, beet dressing, tuna salad roll, ranch dressing, and vegetable salads, because they were made with yellow onions from Gills Onions. That same day, GH Foods LLC recalled Delish!, Marketside, Raley’s, and others brand egg salad sandwiches, snack bites, and stir fry products made with the recalled ingredients.
Wegmans Food Markets in Pennsylvania recalled foods made with the recalled vegetables including crab dip, veggie pizza, stew, and buffalo blue cheese dip on July 27, 2012. Cool Creations LLC recalled bean dip bowl, bean dip tray, pico de gallo, grillers, and a beef stew kit, along with other products. Those products were also made with the recalled vegetables.
LSG Sky Chefs is recalling chicken wraps made with the diced onions. Simmering Soups is recalling salsa and balela made with Gills Onions. Both of those recalls were announced July 27, 2012. And on July 31, 2012, Spartan Stores recalled deli products containing Gills Onions. And Publix is recalling custom made sub sandwiches made with the onions.
On July 31, 2012, Ken’s Foods recalled dressings and sauces made with the recalled onions. And Garden Fresh Foods recalled hundreds of products made with Gills Onions on August 1, 2012.
Late in the day August 1, 2012, San Miguel Produce recalled Comfort (Cooking) Greens Kits that contain Gills Onions. And Garden Fresh Foods issued a specific recall through the USDA for meat and poultry salads made with the recalled onions. And a recall of Busch’s Fresh Food Market products was released on August 6, 2012, even though the recall was mentioned and pulled from the FDA site on July 27, 2012.
