Salmonella Outbreak Linked to California Onion Producer

The outbreak of salmonella that's sickened hundreds of people across Canada and the US is now linked to a company in Bakersfield California.

 

Thomson International is recalling all varieties of onions that could have been contaminated. The recall affects onions sent out to stores and restaurants from May 1st of this year, to the present. But there's word that Thomson might not be the only source of the tainted onions, that other companies in the US are also being investigated. Most people recover from salmonella without treatment, but for kids or adults over 65 with weakened immune systems, it can be severe.

 

Initially, the outbreak last week affected 114 people in B.C., Alberta, Manitoba, Ontario, and PEI.  The number has increased to 239 confirmed cases in Canada as of August 7. From all accounts the outbreak is only from onions in the US, not those produced by Canadian producers. Consumers are being warned not to eat onions unless they know where they were sourced.

Video: Season 6, Episode 12: Veterinarians’ Perspectives on Managing Swine Herd Health Across All Phases

Identifying challenges in swine production and turning them into solutions through research and team development is the focus of this episode. Dr. Christine Mainquist-Whigham of Pillen Family Farms and DNA Genetics shares insights on herd health, biosecurity and trial work to improve pig performance. She also discusses her team’s research philosophy, how they evaluate rate of investment and how they gather feedback from employees to address challenges and maintain herd health across all phases of production. Dr. Carlos Roudergue of Country View Family Farms discusses the growing complexity of swine production, especially as technology increases and employee interaction decreases. He also shares how their workforce is shifting toward more specialized roles to support herd health and efficiency.