HelloFresh is recalling onions in its meal kits due to possible salmonella contamination, the Food and Drug Administration reported Wednesday, with the popular food kit delivery service urging customers to discard all onions received from May 8 through July 31.
The warning comes as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported at least 869 cases of salmonella infection in 47 states linked to Thomson International onions. There have been 116 people, ranging in ages from 1 year to 102, hospitalized since the illnesses were first reported in June, the CDC said Wednesday. No deaths have been reported.
Four new states were added to the latest CDC case count: Arkansas, Hawaii, Rhode Island and Texas.
In the HelloFresh voluntary recall notice, the company said that thoroughly cooking the product to 165 F, as instructed by the recipe, would kill the salmonella bacteria.
The recalled Thomson onions include red, white, yellow and sweet yellow varieties. People who got sick from the salmonella infection reported eating foods made with the onions, such as cheese dips, spreads, salsas and chicken salads.
The products were sold at multiple grocery store chains across the country, including Food Lion, Trader Joe's, Giant Eagle, Kroger, Publix, Ralph’s and Walmart. Many of the illnesses have been on the West Coast.
The FDA is providing a list of all the HelloFresh product codes, which are located on the bottom square of box shipping labels.
Salmonella infection can cause stomach cramps, diarrhea and fever. Symptoms can start from six hours to six days after eating the contaminated food and can last up to a week. Most people recover without treatment.
If ordering from a restaurant, people are advised to check whether the onions come from Thomson International. Any surfaces that come in contact with the recalled onions should be washed and sanitized, including countertops, storage bins, refrigerator drawers, knives and cutting boards.
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