A salmonella outbreak linked to a large egg recall has made dozens of people sick in seven states in the West and Midwest, federal health officials said Saturday.
The August Egg Company recalled about 1.7 million brown organic and brown cage-free egg varieties distributed to grocery stores between February and May because of the potential for salmonella, according to a posted announcement Friday on the Food and Drug Administration’s website.
At least 79 people in seven states have gotten a strain of salmonella that was linked to the eggs, and 21 people have been hospitalized. the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said.
The recall covers Arizona, California, Illinois, Indiana, Nebraska, New Mexico, Nevada, Washington and Wyoming. A list of brands and plant codes or Julian dates can be found on the FDA and CDC websites.
Symptoms of salmonella poisoning include diarrhea, fever, severe vomiting, dehydration and stomach cramps. Most people who get sick recover within a week.
Infections can be severe in young children, older adults and people with weakened immune systems, who may require hospitalization.
The CDC advises people to throw away recalled eggs or return them to the store where they were purchased. Consumers should also wash and disinfect any surfaces that came in contact with the eggs.
“This outbreak may not be limited to the states with known illnesses, and the true number of sick people is likely much higher than the number reported,” the CDC said. “This is because many people recover without medical care and are not tested for Salmonella.”
Salmonella is a type of bacteria that can make people sick if they consume contaminated food and water, or touch animals, their fecal matter or the areas they live in, according to the CDC. It is “a leading cause of food-borne illness, hospitalizations, and deaths in the United States and worldwide,” causing about 1.35 million infections in the U.S. every year.
Symptoms include diarrhea, fever and stomach cramps and can start six hours to six days after consumption of the bacteria. Children under five, the elderly and people with weakened immune systems can become seriously ill as a result of contracting salmonella.
The CDC is advising anyone who has the recalled eggs in their home to throw them away or return them to the retailer that sold them. Businesses with recalled eggs should not sell or serve them, and should sanitize any item or surface that came into contact with the eggs.
The August Egg Company said it began taking its eggs to an “egg-breaking facility” to pasteurize them and kill pathogens after learning about the salmonella concern.
“August Egg Company’s internal food safety team also is conducting its own stringent review to identify what measures can be established to prevent this situation from recurring,” the company said in a statement. “We are committed to addressing this matter fully and to implementing all necessary corrective actions to ensure this does not happen again.”
This isn’t the only salmonella outbreak the U.S. is currently grappling with.
Last month, the FDA announced a recall of cucumbers grown by Bedner Growers and distributed by Fresh Start Produce Sales due to a salmonella outbreak that has sickened 45 people and hospitalized 16 across 18 states.
By Agencies