SALT LAKE CITY — A food safety alert has been issued by officials as 73 people, including 17 Utahns, have been infected with salmonella from certain onions.
People living in 22 states have been impacted by the illness, but Utah and California have seen the most illness, with 17 cases each.
The outbreak is likely even larger than the reported data as many people recover from salmonella without medical care and their illness is not recorded.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said the illness traces back to onions processed at Gills Onions.
Interviews with infected individuals note that they were recently served diced onions from the company.
On Tuesday, the company recalled fresh diced onion products with use-by dates in August 2023, including diced yellow onions, diced celery and onions, diced mirepoix and diced red onions.
The products were distributed to stores and restaurants across the nation and in Canada, the food safety alert explained.
Although the use-by dates have long since expired, officials explained some people may have frozen the diced onions to be used later.
For those who have potentially contaminated onions, the CDC says to throw them away or return them to the store. They also asked that you wash items and surfaces in order to completely eliminate any chance of infection.
Those infected with salmonella experience diarrhea, fever and stomach cramps. While most people recover without treatment after about a week, some may experience more severe symptoms.
Children younger than 5 years old as well as adults older than 65 years old and people with weakened immune systems may require hospitalization and more specialized treatment to recover from salmonella.
Consult your medical provider if you think you've been infected with salmonella.
