The second recall announcement in a week relating to Salmonella and iceless green onions has been made by Steinbeck Country Produce of Salinas, California.

Steinbeck joins Ocean Mist Farms of Castroville, California, in recalling green onions that were supplied by Circle Produce of Calexico, Mexico. The onions were sourced from a farm in Mexicali, Mexico, and a sample was found to be contaminated with Salmonella in a routine test late last month by the United States Department of Agriculture.

Steinbeck is recalling product with lot code numbers 96CPG007 and 9CPO937 shipped between August 4 and August 22, 2009. Vendors were notified August 27 and the company’s press release on the recall was circulated Friday by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. The recall affects 3,360 cartons of the green onions.

Symptoms of Salmonella poisoning, particularly diarrhea, appear six to 72 hours after initial contact. The illness can last up to seven days and most of the time doesn’t require medical treatment. But young children, the elderly and people who have weakened immune systems can become seriously ill and die.

Late last year and early this year, for instance, a multi-state Salmonella outbreak caused by peanut products made by Peanut Corp. of America killed nine people. Our firm, Pritzker Olsen attorneys, represents the families of three of those victims and has filed a Salmonella lawsuit against the company.

For years, federal regulators have been working with our produce industry to prevent dangerous pathogens from entering the supply of leafy green vegetables, cantaloupe, and other crops. A key to this prevention is keeping animal feces out of the fields and out of surface water and irrigation water that could possibly come in contact with food we harvest. But the process also extends to worker health and hygiene, packing facility sanitation and transportation.

Both government and industry have adopted standard practices and responsible growers, packers and consumers should be able to reasonably expect companies within the supply chain to constantly audit themselves to help prevent the threat of  foodborne illness.