US food regulators recall 380 million eggs after salmonella outbreak

Friday, August 20, 2010

The United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has recalled 380 million eggs and the number is expected to grow, after around 300 in Colorado, California, and Minnesota and 2,000 nationwide became infected with salmonella after eating eggs distributed by Wright County Eggs.

The contaminated eggs were sold under the labels Lucerne, Albertson, Mountain Dairy, Ralph's, Boomsma's, Sunshine, Hillandale, Trafficanda, Farm Fresh, Shoreland, Lund, Dutch Farms, Kemps, Bayview, Mountain Dairy, NuLay and Sun Valley. Eggs have been sold in seventeen states.

Wright County Egg's owner has been previously cited for breaking environmental laws.

	They [birds] defecate in the feed, which the chickens then eat and can become infected.
—Nancy Bufano, FDA egg safety expert

In response to the outbreak the FDA deployed an initial team of ten investigators to Wright County Egg in Iowa to inspect the farms and determine the source of the contamination. Although no official statement has been issued, it is believed animals including birds and rodents defecated where food for chickens is stored.

The outbreak is believed to have started in early July, around the time new federal regulations to prevent salmonella contamination of eggs took effect.

According to the FDA, the symptoms of salmonella infection includes fever, diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, and abdominal pain.

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Sources

Barbara Pinto. "Cases of Salmonella From Eggs Still on the Rise" — ABC, 19 August, 2010
Pat El-Hinnawy. "Urgent Nationwide Egg Recall" — FDA, 19 August, 2010
"Egg recall is still evolving" — Los Angeles Times, 19 August, 2010
David Brown. "Salmonella-tainted eggs from big producer in Iowa have sickened at least 1,200" — Washington Post, 20 August 2010

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