The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has reported a salmonella outbreak in the United States linked to contaminated eggs. The outbreak has caused dozens of cases of food poisoning in seven states in the West and Midwest.
The August Egg Company, a U.S. company involved in the production, packaging and distribution of eggs, including organic eggs, has recalled about 1.7 million eggs from the market, while the CDC has confirmed at least 79 cases of infection with an egg-related strain of salmonella, with 21 people hospitalized.
The company said it is engaged in an internal investigation to strengthen food safety controls:
“We are committed to fully addressing this issue and implementing all necessary corrective actions to ensure this does not happen again.”
The recall affects eggs sold in Arizona, California, Illinois, Indiana, Nebraska, New Mexico, Nevada, Washington and Wyoming. The affected products were marketed under brand names such as Clover, First Street, Nulaid, O Organics, Marketside, Raleys, Simple Truth, Sun Harvest and Sunnyside. The affected batches carry codes P-6562 or CA5330.
Symptoms of salmonella poisoning include diarrhea, fever, vomiting, dehydration, and abdominal cramps. It usually heals within a week, but the infection can be severe in young children, the elderly and people with weakened immune systems.
The CDC recommends disposing of recalled eggs or returning them to the point of sale, and disinfecting all surfaces that may have been contaminated.
