Three Trader Joe's items containing red onions have been pulled from the shelves, after the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service found the onions were possibly contaminated with Listeria, according to a news release from the department.

A local Trader Joe’s representative, who declined to be named, said that Trader Joe's BBQ Chicken Salad; Diced Onions, Garlic and Shallot Blend; and Butternut Squash and Red Quinoa Salad were removed Thursday. Customers who may have bought these items are advised to discard them or bring them back to the store for a full refund.

Only one item — the barbecue chicken salad — was officially recalled, but the other two were also discarded out of caution, the Trader Joe's employee said. A Trader Joe’s corporate representative did not immediately return calls for comment.

Specifically affected were 5,610 pounds of 14.5-oz trays of Trader Joe’s BBQ Chicken Salad, with the number P-11079 inside the USDA mark of inspection. They were produced by Huxtable’s Kitchen of Vernon, Calif., though the onions came from a different vendor. Each package also has a sticker with use-by dates through July 30, 2012. The product was distributed to retail establishments in Arizona, New Mexico, Southern California, Southern Nevada and Texas.

So far, there have been no reports of illnesses associated with consumption of this product.

Listeriosis is an infection caused by Listeria bacteria, and it can cause gastrointestinal or respiratory problems and, in extreme cases, death.