Alsum Farms onions are recalled for possible Salmonella contamination, according to an FDA notice. The fresh yellow, white, and red onions were delivered to retailers in Wisconsin, Michigan, Illinois, and Pennsylvania between July 13, 2021 and August 18, 2021. The onions were imported from Chihuahua, Mexico by Keeler Family Farms. No illnesses have been reported to date in connection with onions marketed through Keeler Family Farms. Alsum Farms & Produce is located in Friesland, Wisconsin. You can see all of the secondary onion recalls in association with a multistate Salmonella outbreak here.
The recalled Alsum Farms onions are packaged in several different ways. The fresh whole yellow onions are packaged in 3 pound bags with lot codes 049008, 099008, 109008, 119008, and 149007; 5 pound bags with lot codes 099008,109008, and 119008, and in 50 pound cartons. The fresh whole white onions are packaged in 2 pound bags with lot code 169008; and the fresh whole red onions are packaged in 2 pound bags with lot codes 039008, 099008, 109008, 139007, and 13900. This recall only affects onions labeled “Produce of Mexico” and does not affect any other Alsum Farms & Produce products. You can see pictures of product labels at the FDA recall web site.
If properly stored in a cool dry place, the onions have a three month shelf life, so could still be in consumers’ pantries. Please check your pantry carefully to see if you have any of these onions. If you aren’t sure, check with your grocer. If they can’t tell you, throw the onions out. If the onions in your pantry are unlabeled, it would be a good idea to dispose of them.
Symptoms of Salmonella contamination include a fever, chills, headache, nausea, vomiting, stomach pain, abdominal cramps and pain, and diarrhea that may be bloody. People usually start feeling sick six hours to six days after eating food contaminated with this pathogen.
If you have eaten onions and have been ill with these symptoms, see your doctor. There is a multistate outbreak associated with onions imported from Mexico that has sickened at least 808 people in 37 states.
