You probably have something you didn’t know about if you’ve gone shopping for brown eggs at Walmart or the grocery store lately — a big recall is underway due to risks of salmonella. A California company is recalling more than 1.7 million cartons of eggs after they were linked to a multi-state outbreak of salmonella.
What’s being recalled
August Egg Company of Hilmar, California, is recalling 1.7 million dozen brown cage-free and certified organic eggs. They were sent out during the last four months, with some of them having sell-by dates as late as June 19.
The issue? Of the eggs, some have the potential to be infected with Salmonella Enteritidis, a type of bacteria that can cause serious illness. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 79 people have already gotten sick, with at least 21 hospitalized. Fortunately, there have been no fatalities.
Where were the eggs sold?
The recalled eggs were sold in mass supermarkets in nine states, including Walmart. Here’s where they were distributed:
Sell-by dates up to June 4 were distributed through May 15 to Save Mart, FoodMaxx, Lucky, Smart & Final, Safeway, Raley’s, Food 4 Less, and Ralphs in California and Nevada.
Sell-by dates through June 19 were distributed through May 6 to Walmart stores in:
- California
- Washington
- Nevada
- Arizona
- Wyoming
- New Mexico
- Nebraska
- Indiana
- Illinois
If you live in any of these states and bought brown eggs in the past few months, check your carton immediately.
How to spot the recalled eggs
Look for the plant code on the side of the carton. August Egg Company says you can take recalled eggs back to the store from which you bought them and receive a refund. For further details, call 1-800-710-2554 between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. PT.
The FDA found company samples at its facility that tested positive for the same strain of Salmonella that caused the outbreak. Most of the people who fell ill lived in California, but others were from other states, including Nevada, Washington, Arizona, New Jersey, Nebraska, and Kentucky.
What is Salmonella, and what are the symptoms?
Salmonella is no joke. Each year in the United States, it is estimated to cause 1.35 million illnesses, 26,500 hospitalizations, and 420 deaths. The signs and symptoms are typically as follows:
- Diarrhea
- Fever
- Stomach cramps
They usually come between 6 hours and 6 days after eating food that has been contaminated and last for a week. In severe cases, people may experience chills, vomiting, blood in the stool, or even severe dehydration.
What’s being done?
August Egg Co. says it is investigating what went wrong and has already taken steps to reduce the risk of further contamination. Eggs from the affected facility are now being diverted to a plant that pasteurizes them — a process that kills bacteria.
Since the company is trying to prevent such issues in the future, you must check your eggs now, especially if you’ve recently been at Walmart or any of the stores listed above within the last few months. Be safe, and don’t jeopardize your health.
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