Celery-and-onion Mix linked to Costco E. coli Outbreak

FDA officials say Taylor Farms Pacific is recalling a mix of celery and onion that is used in Costco’s chicken salad and other foods.

The latest E. coli outbreak comes days after health officials linked burrito chain Chipolte Mexican Grill Inc.to more than 40 cases of E. coli O26 food poisoning in six states.

The infections were discovered after several people reported buying rotisserie chicken salad from Costco sometime around October 25 and 26, who then complained of sickness between October 28 and November 3.

Tauxe says the CDC has already identified a DNA fingerprint of the E. coli strain that connects all 19 ill people. Victims are from Montana, Washington, California, Colorado, Utah, Missouri and Virginia. Though Costco have other suppliers for vegetables, but according to Wilson, the company might have used the same ingredients from Taylor Farms that went into packages. Five individuals are hospitalized, including two with kidney failure. The illnesses were subsequently linked to chicken salad bought at Costco Wholesale.

Phone calls to the company did not get answered on Wednesday afternoon.

The products listed are being recalled out of an abundance of caution due to a Celery and Onion Diced Blend testing positive for E. coli in a sample taken by the Montana Department of Health.

One of the strains of Shiga toxin-producing E. coli causes can also cause death, but up till now, no deaths have been reported.

If you have chicken salad from Costco in your refrigerator, look at the label. That recall shows that even fully cooked chicken is vulnerable to bacteria, if workers inadvertently contaminate the cooked birds with juice from raw chickens, Marler said.

Symptoms of E. coli include nausea, vomiting, stomach cramps and diarrhea.