Dr. Mark Horton, director of the California Department of Public Health (CDPH), issued the warning this week because of concerns that Wright County Eggs may be contaminated with Salmonella, a dangerous bacteria that may cause serious health problems.
Wright County Eggs are produced in Iowa and packaged under numerous brand names: Lucerne, Albertson, Mountain Dairy, Ralph's, Boomsma's, Sunshine, Hillandale, Trafficanda, Farm Fresh, Shoreland, Lund, Dutch Farms and Kemps.
Eggs are packed in varying sizes of cartons (six-egg cartons, dozen egg cartons, 18-egg cartons). The eggs were processed by plants with identification numbers 1026, 1413 and 1946. Plant identification codes can be found stamped on the end of the egg carton. The plant number is preceded with the letter “P” and followed by a three-digit number.
The recall applies to numbers 136 to 225. For example: P-1946 223 would be a carton subject to the recall. The Julian production dates in question, 136-225, convert to May 16 – Aug. 13 calendar dates.
Symptoms of Salmonella infection include fever, abdominal cramps, and diarrhea which may be bloody. Most infected people recover within a week; however, some may develop complications that require hospitalization.
Infants, the elderly, and people with weakened immune systems are at highest risk for more severe illness.
Since May of this year there has been a nationwide increase in the number of infections due to a strain of Salmonella Enteritidis. Outbreak investigations in several states, including California, have found that some of these illnesses were likely related to eating eggs or foods containing eggs prepared by restaurants or caterers who obtained shell eggs from Wright County Eggs.
This particular strain, defined by a matching DNA pattern, is the most common Salmonella strain in the United States, and a common source may not explain all of the illnesses.
To prevent illness, consumers are advised to cook eggs thoroughly before eating to destroy any Salmonella or other bacteria. People who develop symptoms of Salmonella infection after consuming Wright County Eggs should consult their health care provider.
Eggs affected by this recall were distributed to food wholesalers, distribution centers and foodservice companies in California, Illinois, Missouri, Colorado, Nebraska, Minnesota, Wisconsin and Iowa.
Wright County Eggs has initiated a voluntary recall. Consumers who believe they may have purchased these shell eggs should return them to the store where they were purchased for a refund. This recall is of shell eggs only. Other egg products produced by Wright County Eggs are not affected.
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