Health officials are currently examining a salmonella outbreak associated with eggs that has affected 95 individuals throughout the United States, as reported by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Thursday.
Country Eggs LLC, based in California, initiated a recall on Wednesday for its large brown, cage-free sunshine yolk eggs. According to the Food and Drug Administration, these eggs were marketed under the Nagatoshi Produce, Misuho, and Nijiya Markets brands. They were additionally packaged for food service as large brown “sunshine yolks” or “omega-3 golden yolks.”
The eggs, delivered to grocery outlets and food distribution services in California and Nevada, were distributed between June 16 and July 9, as indicated by the FDA. Each carton has sell-by dates from July 1 to September 16 and bears the code “CA-7695.”
The majority of cases have been recorded in California, totaling 73. Additional illnesses have been confirmed in 12 other states: Arizona, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Iowa, Minnesota, North Carolina, Nebraska, Nevada, New York, Pennsylvania, and Washington.
Eighteen people have been hospitalized and there have been no deaths, the CDC said.
The CDC observed a significant increase in infections related to the outbreak from mid-June to mid-July, although instances trace back to January. Some recent cases might not be reported yet, the agency noted, due to a reporting delay of three to four weeks to link an illness with an outbreak.
The CDC also noted that the actual number of cases is likely much higher, as many people recover without seeking treatment and are not tested for salmonella. They estimate that only 1 in every 30 salmonella cases is diagnosed.
Salmonella infection causes diarrhea, fever and stomach cramps, usually starting within six hours to six days after eating contaminated food. Most people recover in four to seven days.
The CDC warns that children under 5, adults 65 and older, and people with weakened immune systems may have more severe illnesses that require treatment.
There are an estimated 1.35 million salmonella infections each year in the U.S., and the bacteria are a leading cause of foodborne illnesses.
Earlier this summer, the CDC quietly scaled back a federal-state partnership that monitors for foodborne illnesses, reducing surveillance to just two pathogens: a severe type of E. coli and salmonella.
