Just as consumers and restaurants in the US are dealing with a major outbreak of e.coli tied to romaine lettuce from Yuma, Arizona, consumers are hit with the news of another major health scare, this time from a US egg company.
This is not the first time Rose Farms, whose eggs are sold under a variety of names in several stores in the US, has been the culprit in a major salmonella outbreak affecting the American consumer.
The US Food and Drug Administration traced the outbreak to a farm in Hyde County, North Carolina, which is part of Rose Acre Farms, which claims to be the second-largest supplier of eggs in the country and is headquartered in Indiana. In April, the company issued a recall of more than 206 million eggs.
“We have already implemented numerous remedial actions and have not only corrected deficiencies at the farm, but we’ve also taken other steps to ensure the farm meets or exceeds the standards by the FDA and USDA [US Department of Agriculture],” the company said in a statement sent to the Washington Post (paywall). That includes establishing a “corporate sanitation manager,” the Indiana Star reports, to, presumably, oversee sanitation and hygiene practices at the company’s farms (in addition to the representatives from the USDA that were already monitoring production on location).
Rose Acre has a history of salmonella outbreaks. In 1990, 450 cases across the US were linked to three Rose Acre farm sites. The USDA tried to stop the company from distributing eggs from the three contamination sites, which prompted a 19-year legal battle that ended when the case was dismissed by the Supreme Court in 2009. -Quartz
Here are all of the details about the recalled eggs from the CDC, including the brand names they are sold under and the stores who sold the eggs:
Twelve more ill people from five states were added to this investigation since the last update on April 16, 2018.
CDC continues to recommend consumers, restaurants, and retailers should not eat, serve, or sell recalled eggs produced by Rose Acre Farms’ Hyde County farm. Throw them away or return them to the place of purchase for a refund.
Consumers, restaurants, and retailers should not eat, serve, or sell recalled eggs produced by Rose Acre Farms’ Hyde County farm. Throw them away or return them to the place of purchase for a refund.
These eggs were sold under multiple brand names, including Coburn Farms, Country Daybreak, Food Lion, Glenview, Great Value, Nelms, Publix, Sunshine Farms, and Sunups
Check egg cartons for the following numbers: P-1065 (the plant number) and another set of numbers between 011 and 102 (the Julian date), or, for Publix and Sunups egg cartons, plant number P-1359D and Julian date 048A or 049A with Best By dates of APR 02 and APR 03.
Visit the FDA website for a list of recalled products.
Wash and sanitize drawers or shelves in refrigerators where recalled eggs were stored.
CDC, public health and regulatory officials in several states, and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration are investigating a multistate outbreak of Salmonella Braenderup infections linked to Rose Acre Farms shell eggs.
Thirty-five people infected with the outbreak strain of Salmonella Braenderup have been reported from nine states.
11 people have been hospitalized, and no deaths have been reported.
Epidemiologic, laboratory, and traceback evidence indicates that shell eggs produced by Rose Acre Farms are the likely source of this multistate outbreak.
Always handle and cook eggs safely to avoid foodborne illness from raw eggs. It is important to handle and prepare all fresh eggs and egg products carefully.
Eggs should be cooked until both the yolk and white are firm. Scrambled eggs should not be runny.
Wash hands and items that came into contact with raw eggs—including countertops, utensils, dishes, and cutting boards—with soap and water.
This investigation is ongoing. CDC will provide updates when more information is available.
