For more information on the Salmonella Newport Outbreak linked to Thomson International Inc. Onions, to speak to Salmonella Lawyer, or to inquire about a Salmonella Lawsuit, call 1-888-335-4901.
Thompson International Inc. Salmonella Lawyer Update: FDA on the Largest Salmonella Outbreak in Decades.
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued what may be the last update on the Salmonella Newport Outbreak linked to red onions that was announced in June 2020. The outbreak became one of the largest salmonella outbreaks in almost a decade after having over 1,100 reported cases in the U.S. alone and over 500 cases in Canada. According to the FDA, the investigation of the outbreak required collaboration from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), multiple federal and state officials, and Canadian officials.
At the start of the Salmonella Newport Outbreak, the FDA was able to identify Thomson International Inc. of Bakersfield, California, as the likely source of contaminated red onions. The company quickly issued a recall of all varieties of onions that could have come in contact with potentially contaminated red onions due to the risk of cross-contamination. The FDA sent multiple teams to farms in California to collect samples in hopes of finding the root of the contamination. In their investigation, the FDA identified several potential sources of contamination that may have contributed to the outbreak, including potentially contaminated irrigation water, sheep grazing on adjacent land, signs of animal intrusion including scat, and large flocks of birds that may spread contamination. Sadly according to the FDA, no root source of the contamination was discovered, part of the reason is believed to be that the investigations did not occur during any of the harvesting activities.
In their recent report the FDA stated “Eleven of the environmental subsamples tested positive for various types of Salmonella Newport; however, none matched the outbreak strain. Although a conclusive root cause could not be identified, the FDA’s leading hypothesis is that contaminated irrigation water used in a growing field in Holtville, California may have led to contamination of the onions.” With a total of over 1,600 reported salmonella cases in both the U.S. and Canada and no root source of the contamination I the FDA seems to have completed their investigation on the outbreak linked to onions sold by Thomson International Inc. The FDA also stated that they urge growers to conduct risk assessments that include evaluation of hazards that may be associated with adjacent and nearby land uses and implement risk mitigation strategies where appropriate.
People affected by the Salmonella Newport outbreak still have time to pursue legal representation due to illnesses caused by this multistate outbreak. Many who fell ill at the time of the outbreak may have already recovered but others may still be experiencing illnesses caused by the salmonella infection, although thankfully there were no deaths linked to the outbreak over 160 over people did require hospitalization. Ron Simon, a National Salmonella Lawyer, stated:
“People with salmonellosis usually recover completely, although it may take several months before their bowel habits are entirely normal. Recent studies have indicated that 25% of patients reported altered bowel habits six months after a bacterial gastroenteritis illness. Unfortunately, some people develop two more serious complications: Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) and Reiter’s Syndrome.”
For more information on the Salmonella Newport Outbreak linked to Thomson International Inc. Onions, to speak to Salmonella Lawyer, or to inquire about a Salmonella Lawsuit, call 1-888-335-4901.
