U.S. Bars Mexican Onions Due to Hepatitis A Outbreak

Reuters ^ | 11-19-03

[asmith92008]

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The United States has halted imports of Mexican green onions suspected of causing an outbreak of hepatitis A that has sickened more than 500 people in Pennsylvania, a Food and Drug Administration (news - web sites) official told Reuters on Wednesday.

FDA Deputy Commissioner Lester Crawford said the U.S. Centers for Disease Control on Friday will release an update on the outbreak, including the food source that has caused at least three deaths and where it originated.

Health officials believe Mexican green onions served at a Chi-Chi's restaurant were the source of the Pennsylvania outbreak. Recent cases of the liver disease in Tennessee, North Carolina and Georgia have also been linked to scallions.

"We are actually detaining the (green onions) at the border at the present time," Crawford said after testifying on an unrelated issue at the House Governmental Affairs committee. "This is the best bet of the source, but has not yet been finally confirmed."

Crawford said there were no indications the hepatitis A outbreak was intentional.

Hepatitis A is usually mild but can cause fever, exhaustion, vomiting, abdominal pain and in rare cases death.

As of Tuesday, 520 cases of the illness had been confirmed in Pennsylvania, the state health department said on its Web site.

The Chi-Chi's Mexican restaurant chain voluntarily pulled green onions off the menu at all its more than 100 restaurants after employees and patrons of Beaver Valley, Pennsylvania, restaurant became ill from hepatitis A.

The chain is owned by Irvine, California-based Prandium Inc..

[dennisw]

btttttttttt

[Dane]

How does the hepatitis move from farm to store?...does it "ride" on the outside of the vegetables or is it absorbed througout the vegetable by the feces acting as a fertilizer?

Here's a previous thread on the subject.

In fight against outbreaks, green onions present layered resistance

[panaxanax]

Thanks Dane. I think what Rebelbase was concerned about was the possibility that the onions/veggies have the Hepatitis A living within the vascular tissue of the plant.

[asmith92008]

Prodigal, I think the 600+ folks suggering from hepatatis might disagree. Some of the disease's more pleasnt symptoms include fever, nausea, diarrhea, jaundice, fatigue, abdominal pain and loss of appetite. This lasts for about two months.

Add the fact that the onions might also be linked to outbreaks in Tenessee and Georgia and the number grows even higher.

This is the largest hepatitis A outbreak in our nation's history. Over 600 people suffering a seriously debilitating illness can be fairly devestating for a regional economy. Add to that the fact that Chi-Chi's is already facing bankruptcy and the liability on this is expected to be about $51 million. If Chi-Chi's folds, 99 retaurants in 17 states fire their employees and stop paying their vendors.

Imagine if this had been a larger restauraunt, say McDonalds. The damage caused by a truly national chain using contaminated food would be staggering. We imperil our health and economy by importing our food from Third World nations.

[hispanarepublicana]

protect-our-domestic-food-supply/suppliers-BUMP
(or, safest-cheapest-most-abundant-food-supply-in-the-world-BUMP)

[farmfriend]

Rights, farms, environment ping.

Let me know if you wish to be added or removed from this list.
I don't get offended if you want to be removed.

[eddie willers]

(they must be American made and I just don't know it)

The TV almost certainly was.
(Sony used to build most of their TVs in San Diego....maybe still do)

[Willie Green]

I think what Rebelbase was concerned about was the possibility that the onions/veggies have the Hepatitis A living within the vascular tissue of the plant.

I would think it highly probable that it would be drawn up into the plant with the contaminated water. Simply washing the outside is insufficient. (Don't forget, there are also other diseases that are transmitted when vegetables are irrigated with raw sewage.)

Several years ago, I entertained business visitors from South Korea. They apparently have the same problems with vegetables and sewage that Mexico has. They were aghast that we ate raw veggies from the restaurant's salad bar! They were insistant that veggies had to be well cooked to prevent illness.

[asmith92008]

Gee, EGPWS, five years is impressive. Write me back if they last sixteen or more years, as the American made RCA TVs in my house have.

[eddie willers]

as the American made RCA TVs in my house have.

RCA was sold to the French many years ago....and it shows.

[asmith92008]

Yes, and my RCAs pre-date the sale. Hence my point asbout the quality of American made products.

[hedgetrimmer]

They irrigate with sewage in some places in Mexico.

[garandgal]

I find it interesting that some people are so consumed with making money that they would sell out the very HEALTH of their families. Someone should really do a psychological study.

[EGPWS]

Are you implying that you’d rather eat food that had raw human feces on it than something that was chemically fertilized?

Not at all. What I am implying is, it doesn't matter if it's feces or chemicals. If feces were no longer allowed to be used for fertilizer, then the panic would be on chemicals in our food and possibly to the point of banning chemical fertilizers to opt for organic fertilizers.

It reminds me of coal strip mining in the '60's that was sooo awful to our environment that it no longer was an acceptable way to product energy. So we went to nuclear and then lo and behold strip mining is more acceptable because of the horrors of nuclear energy that were conveyed. Fear mongering however seems to be perpetually acceptable.

[EGPWS]

I find it interesting that some people are so consumed with making money that they would sell out the very HEALTH of their families. Someone should really do a psychological study.

Psychological studies would be a "consuming factor" to say the least...they don't come cheap! ; )

[EGPWS]

Gee, EGPWS, five years is impressive. Write me back if they last sixteen or more years, as the American made RCA TVs in my house have.

I'd like to however "I" probably won't last 16 years!

FYI, if your RCA, and I have one too, is American made then it's about 30 years old. Not bad for a television! The usage hours, of course, has a very big impact on the endurance of electronic equipment.

Of course, also, one has a tendancy to not notice age created flaws in televisions as their televisions become weary.

[asmith92008]

Not thirty, RCA was taken over in 1986. It had been owned for a few years before that but it is certainly not 3 decades old.

As to age created flaws, I'll admit it's not state of the art but it certainly does its job.

[EGPWS]

As to age created flaws, I'll admit it's not state of the art but it certainly does its job.

Mmmm, your description fits ME to a tee!! LoL's

All in all I have been a "spark chaser" and an avid electronics fan for my 28 year career! I have been so impressed with Sony that I sent them a letter of appreciation for their products.

They hold a dear 2nd to my 1942 Collins TCS 14 AM transmitter that is mint. It came off a Navy ship of WWII vintage and I paid $5.00 for it. : )

[E.G.C.]

BTTT!!!!!!

[AAABEST]

Who are you and why are you hijacking Dane's account?

I know you're not him because the posts on this thread are informative, well mannered and interesting.