Nearly 1.6 million dozen eggs sold across five states are being recalled over fears they could be contaminated with Salmonella Enteritidis, federal health officials said Wednesday, adding to growing concerns over a wave of foodborne illness outbreaks.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration said the recall covers white and brown cage-free shell eggs produced by Midwest Poultry Services in Texas and distributed to Kroger stores in Texas and Louisiana, along with Brookshire Grocery locations in Oklahoma, Arkansas and Mississippi.
The company has halted egg shipments from its Texas farms while the recall is underway. As of Wednesday, no illnesses had been linked to the recalled eggs.
Salmonella Enteritidis can contaminate eggs and cause food poisoning, with symptoms including diarrhea, stomach cramps, nausea, vomiting, fever and chills that usually develop within 12 to 72 hours of eating contaminated food.
The recall comes as the U.S. continues to battle a major outbreak of cyclosporiasis, a parasitic illness that causes severe gastrointestinal symptoms. Federal data released this week show 4,173 confirmed cases across 41 states, with another 7,400 reports awaiting confirmation by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Michigan has recorded the highest number of reported cases, with state officials linking thousands of illnesses to contaminated lettuce. The parasite can cause severe diarrhea, vomiting, fever, body aches, dehydration and extreme fatigue.
University of Guanajuato epidemiologist Dr. Alejandro Macías described the illness to The New York Times by saying, “You’re barely able to make it to the toilet.”
Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. said Tuesday the outbreaks were “under control,” despite the rising number of reported cases.
“We have done extensive forensics, epidemiological forensics and we have identified the source of the outbreak. We, and the companies that are involved, have implemented a recall,” Kennedy told reporters.
Last week, California-based Taylor Farms voluntarily recalled iceberg lettuce sourced from central Mexico after an FDA investigation linked it to the outbreak.
The investigation briefly caused confusion earlier this week when the FDA disclosed a “false positive” laboratory test. The agency said reexamining that sample did not change the evidence supporting its public health advisory or Taylor Farms’ voluntary recall.
“To clarify, this false-positive lab sample DOES NOT change the basis for FDA’s ongoing outbreak investigation or the overwhelming epidemiological data supporting the current voluntary recall by Taylor Farms,” the FDA said in a social media post.
