PUBLIC HEALTH
FDA recalls over 4 million eggs: how to know you purchased contaminated eggs
Antibiotic-resistant salmonella outbreak traced to eggs sold in Illinois, Michigan, and Wisconsin, reports the CDC.
In 2022, the 27 member states of the European Union reported 65,208 cases of salmonella.
That same year, more than 1.3 million cases were reported in the United States. Not only is that fact staggering because the United States population is roughly half of Europe’s, but it also shows that there are other parts of the world where the issue is being addressed to minimize the risk of the disease to the public.
Salmonella may not be the most deadly disease, but it is still horrendous for many people who become infected. Diarrhea, which the CDC warns can be bloody, fever, and stomach cramps lasting anywhere between four and seven days are some of the most common symptoms. The disease is responsible for 26,000 hospitalizations a year and tragically takes more than 400 lives in the United States. The disease is a risk to public health, and very few people are talking about it.
Antibiotic-resistant salmonella outbreak traced to eggs sold in Illinois, Michigan, and Wisconsin
The Food and Drug Administration recalled eggs from Milo Farms in Wisconsin in early September. That warning was reclassified, a Class I recall earlier this week, indicating that the issue persists and that eggs from the infected batch continue to pose a threat to public health. The disease is a risk to public health, and very few people are talking about it. The most recent outbreak has already infected 65 people across nine states:
- California,
- Colorado,
- Illinois,
- Iowa,
- Michigan,
- Minnesota,
- Utah,
- Virginia, and
- Wisconsin.
What brands are covered by the recall
The eggs were sold to households and restaurants in Illinois (11 cases), Michigan, and Wisconsin (42 cases). The company responsible is Milo’s Poultry Farms LLC, and the label reads “Milo’s Poultry Farms” or “Tony’s Fresh Market.” Duck eggs which have also been covered by the recall might be branded under the name Happy Quackers Farm. The upgraded recall also includes eggs from M&E Family Farms, and covers the following eggs:
- Chicken and Duck eggs include all sizes (Medium, Large, XLarge, and Jumbo), all packaging configurations (bulk for Foodservice-15 dozen per box, 12-count consumer carton and 18-count consumer carton), and types of eggs (conventional cage-free, non-GMO, and Organic).
- 12-count and 18-count cartons of chicken eggs can be identified with the brands of Milo’s and Tony’s Fresh Market.
The eggs will have a best before date of October 12, 2024 or earlier.
It doesn’t matter the size, egg type, or expiration date, says the FDA; all eggs fall under the recall. Samples taken from the hen house and the processing facility matched the strains identified in the lab testing done by the CDC on the infected patients.
Anti-biotic resistant strains identified in patients
What is more concerning is that twenty-four people, or 38 percent of the total cases, have had to be hospitalized, highlighting the severity of the disease in some patients. The increase in the severity of the illness has been linked to the fact that these strains are resistant to nalidixic acid and ciprofloxacin, which the CDC says are “some commonly recommended antibiotics” when patients become ill. Not all cases of salmonella require antibiotics, and as these new strains are reported, it is important that they may do more harm than good in less high-risk patients.