In July, Midwest Poultry Services, L.P. announced a recall of nearly 1.6 million white-shell and brown-shell eggs due to potential salmonella contamination in multiple states. They were produced and distributed from farms in Texas between June 6 and July 3 with "sell by" or "best by" dates between July 20 and Aug. 17.
Then on Aug. 12, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration upgraded the recall to a Class I, which is considered "a situation in which there is a reasonable probability that the use of or exposure to a violative product will cause serious adverse health consequences or death," according to the FDA.
According to USA Today, as of July 24, a salmonella outbreak linked to the recalled eggs has sickened at least 98 people and hospitalized
26 across 17 states. The illnesses were reported between Nov. 21 and June 30. The FDA and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention were aware of 26 hospitalizations due to the recall, but no deaths.
What eggs are recalled?
The recalled white and brown cage-free eggs have an identifying code printed on the left or right sides of the carton in date-coding ink. Only the codes P-1950 or 0840962 with a Julian date between 157 and 184 are recalled, according to the report.
Get a closer look of the recalled eggs below:
Where were the recalled eggs sold?
The recalled eggs were sold in Kroger stores in Texas and Louisiana, Brookshire Grocery stores in Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Louisiana, New Mexico and Mississippi, and at other smaller retail outlets, according to the recall report.
The eggs were also shipped to foodservice and retailers in Texas, Oklahoma and Louisiana, the report states.
In Oklahoma, Brookshire owns FRESH by Reasor's and Reasor's stores.
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Where were people sickened in the salmonella outbreak?
Even though the eggs were not sold in Georgia, residents were impacted with 4-5 cases confirmed. Per the FDA, here's a look at the 17 states where recall-related illnesses were reported:
What to do if you own the recalled eggs
While unlikely the eggs can be found in Georgia stores, consumers are urged to be cautious, avoid consumption of the eggs, and return the products to their original place of purchase for a full refund, according to the recall report.
Consumers with questions should contact Midwest Poultry Services at 574-405-9531.
Symptoms of salmonella poisoning
Symptoms of salmonella poisoning usually start six hours to six days after ingesting the bacteria. The most common symptoms are diarrhea, fever and stomach cramps, according to the CDC. While most healthy people can recover in four to seven days without treatment, some vulnerable groups, like children under 5, adults 65 and older, and those with weakened immune systems may experience more severe illness that requires medical treatment or hospitalization.
If you display any of these more serious symptoms, the CDC advises contacting your health care professional:
- Diarrhea and a fever higher than 102 degrees Fahrenheit
- Diarrhea for more than three days that is not improving
- Bloody diarrhea
- So much vomiting that you cannot keep liquids down
- Signs of dehydration, such as not urinating much, dry mouth and throat, and feeling dizzy when standing up
Miguel Legoas is a Deep South Connect Team Reporter for USA Today. Find him on Instagram @miguelegoas and email at mlegoas@gannett.com.
This article originally appeared on Savannah Morning News: 1.6 million egg-recall upgraded to FDA's highest risk. Is GA impacted?
