Food Safety
search
Ask Food Safety AI
cart
facebook twitter linkedin instagram youtube
  • Sign In
  • Create Account
  • Sign Out
  • My Account
Food Safety
  • NEWS
    • Latest News
    • White Papers
  • PRODUCTS
  • TOPICS
    • Contamination Control
    • Food Types
    • Management
    • Process Control
    • Regulatory
    • Sanitation
    • Supply Chain
    • Testing and Analysis
  • PODCAST
  • EXCLUSIVES
    • Food Safety Five Newsreel
    • eBooks
    • FSM Distinguished Service Award
    • Interactive Product Spotlights
    • Videos
  • BUYER'S GUIDE
  • MORE
    • NEWSLETTERS >
      • Archive Issues
      • Subscribe to eNews
    • Store
    • Sponsor Insights
    • ASK FSM AI
  • WEBINARS
  • FOOD SAFETY SUMMIT
  • EMAG
    • eMagazine
    • Archive Issues
    • Editorial Advisory Board
    • Contact
    • Advertise
  • SIGN UP!
News

U.S. Says Onions Are Source of Multistate Salmonella Outbreak

August 3, 2020

U.S. health officials have linked an ongoing multistate and multi-country Salmonella Newport outbreak to onions. The announcement came one day after Canadian health officials made a similar statement.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is urging consumers and industry not to eat, serve, or sell any onions from Bakersfield, CA-based Thomson International Inc. The onions types affected include red, white, yellow, and sweet varieties. The warning also includes products made with these onions.

As of July 31st, a total of 396 illnesses have been reported in 34 states.

Whole-genome sequencing analysis shows that an outbreak of Salmonella Newport infections in Canada is related genetically to this outbreak in the U.S. This means that people in both of these outbreaks likely share a common source of infection.

Thomson International’s website doesn’t appear to address the outbreak, however, here is the company’s general food safety statement in full:

Thomson International has built a network of representative and joint venture growers throughout Mexico and California. Expansion and success means never compromising on food safety and innovation.

Thomson International never takes food safety issues lightly.

The daily structure of our farming and packaging activities from the initial plantings to the truck loading focuses on absolute food safety guidelines. Across every Thomson family generation, we are proud to employ GAP (Good Agricultural Practices) to ensure sanitary harvest crews and packing equipment. A steady flow of trucks daily moves through Bakersfield on California I-5 to pick up orders delivered to most locations within 24 hours.

As owners and sales professionals, we can walk out and see the products being produced. When quality or safety issues surface, we can immediately incorporate solutions to ensure the quality of our on-site watermelon, onion and bell pepper packing plants.

Thomson International’s onions were recalled on August 1st, 11 days after CDC’s initial announcement of an outbreak caused by—at the time—an unknown source.

Looking for quick answers on food safety topics?
Try Ask FSM, our new smart AI search tool.
Ask FSM →

Share This Story

Recommended Content

JOIN TODAY
to unlock your recommendations.

Already have an account? Sign In

  • people holding baby chicks

    Serovar Differences Matter: Utility of Deep Serotyping in Broiler Production and Processing

    This article discusses the significance of Salmonella in...
    Testing & Analysis
    By: Nikki Shariat Ph.D.
  • woman washing hands

    Building a Culture of Hygiene in the Food Processing Plant

    Everyone entering a food processing facility needs to...
    Sanitation
    By: Richard F. Stier, M.S.
  • graphical representation of earth over dirt

    Climate Change and Emerging Risks to Food Safety: Building Climate Resilience

    This article examines the multifaceted threats to food...
    Management
    By: Maria Cristina Tirado Ph.D., D.V.M. and Shamini Albert Raj M.A.
Manage My Account
  • eMagazine Subscription
  • Subscribe to Newsletters
  • Manage My Preferences
  • Website Registration
  • Subscription Customer Service

More Videos

Sponsored Content

Sponsored Content is a special paid section where industry companies provide high quality, objective, non-commercial content around topics of interest to the Food Safety Magazine audience. All Sponsored Content is supplied by the advertising company and any opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and not necessarily reflect the views of Food Safety Magazine or its parent company, BNP Media. Interested in participating in our Sponsored Content section? Contact your local rep!

close
  • NEVIFIT 3 Compartment BPA-FREE
    Sponsored byCorbion

    The Risks of Ready-to-Eat: Five Ways to Protect Today's Prepared Meals

  • a group of workers in a food production facility
    Sponsored bySkillUp by Registrar Corp

    How to Build a Better Training Program: Data and Insights from the Global Food Safety Training Survey

  • the use of dual-energy X-ray food inspection technology to identify foreign contaminants.
    Sponsored byEagle by METTLER TOLEDO

    Precision Inspection Starts with the Right X-ray Detector

Popular Stories

clover hill dairy recalled cheese products

Eight Sick, One Dead in Three-Year Listeria Outbreak Linked to Soft Cheese

diverse friends eating meal together

Global Foodborne Disease Burden Comparable to Malaria, Per Updated WHO Estimates

baby having a bottle fed by his moms

After Infant Botulism Outbreak, FDA Shares Root Cause Analysis Findings from ByHeart Formula Plants

Events

June 16, 2026

Sustainable Food Contact Materials: Where Regulation Meets Analytical Testing

Live: June 16, 2026 at 11:00 am EDT: This webinar explores how sustainability regulations are changing food contact material requirements, including packaging compliance, unintended substances, and per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances.

June 17, 2026

Living HACCP: Practical Steps for Implementation

Live: June 17, 2026, at 12:00 pm EDT: From this webinar, attendees will understand how social norms shape the way hazards are understood, how decisions are made, and how well risks are understood and acted on across companies.

June 25, 2026

Rethinking Food Safety: Eliminating Biofilm and Building a Smarter Food Safety System

Live: June 25, 2026 at 2:00 pm EDT: Join this webinar to explore a modern approach to decontamination that goes beyond surface-level cleaning to combat biofilm and persistent pathogens.

View All

Products

Global Food Safety Microbial Interventions and Molecular Advancements

Global Food Safety Microbial Interventions and Molecular Advancements

See More Products

Related Articles

  • No Known Source for Multistate Salmonella Outbreak

    See More
  • 46 Tons of Jennie-O Turkey Products Recalled in Relation to Ongoing Multistate Salmonella Outbreak

    See More
  • Pre-Cut Fruit Causes Multistate Salmonella Outbreak

    See More

Related Products

See More Products
  • 9781498721776.jpg

    Handbook of Food Processing: Food Safety, Quality, and Manufacturing Processes

  • 1444333348.jpg

    Handbook of Food Safety Engineering

  • 0813808774.jpg

    Improving Import Food Safety

See More Products

Events

View AllSubmit An Event
  • May 14, 2026

    FSMA at 15: Where Are We Now?

    On Demand: This session will explore how FSMA has shaped today’s food safety landscape—and what’s next.
View AllSubmit An Event

Related Directories

  • PATLITE (U.S.A.) Corp.

    Since 1947, PATLITE has offered state-of-the-art equipment for the process and industrial automation industries. Innovative and durable design, backed by years of industry experience and a strong commitment to safety and security, has made PATLITE the world's best known manufacturer of visual and audible signaling devices.
×

Never miss the latest news and trends driving the food safety industry

Newsletters | Website | eMagazine

JOIN TODAY!
  • RESOURCES
    • Advertise
    • Contact Us
    • Directories
    • Store
    • Want More
  • SIGN UP TODAY
    • Create Account
    • eMagazine
    • Newsletters
    • Customer Service
    • Manage Preferences
  • SERVICES
    • Marketing Services
    • Reprints
    • Market Research
    • List Rental
    • Survey/Respondent Access
  • STAY CONNECTED
    • LinkedIn
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • X (Twitter)
  • PRIVACY
    • PRIVACY POLICY
    • TERMS & CONDITIONS
    • DO NOT SELL MY PERSONAL INFORMATION
    • PRIVACY REQUEST
    • ACCESSIBILITY

Copyright ©2026. All Rights Reserved BNP Media, Inc. and BNP Media II, LLC.

Design, CMS, Hosting & Web Development :: ePublishing