The FDA has announced that Good Earth Egg Company of Missouri is voluntarily recalling its shell eggs because they may be contaminated with Salmonella bacteria and have been linked to an outbreak in that state. These products were distributed throughout the Midwest, including Missouri and Illinois, at the retail and wholesale level, to institutions, and to walk-in customers.
The recalled shell eggs are packaged in 6-count cartons, 10-count cartons, 12-count cartons, 18-count cartons, 15 dozen cases, and 30 dozen cases. The dates and codes on the cartons and cases will including everything before and including date code 006 – Sell by 02/05/2016, under the brand name Good Earth Egg Company, license number D-01124. The eggs are sold at Dierbergs, Shop n’ Save, Straubs, Midtowne Market, and Price Chopper in the metropolitan St. Louis area.
The company is telling consumers that they do not need to return the eggs to the place of purchase; instead, throw them away, along with the container, in a sealed or double bagged package so other people and animals cannot eat them. Good Earth Egg Company will work directly with each consumer to manage replacement of the eggs.
There is no word, as of today, about the number of people sickened, their ages, if anyone has been hospitalized, or when their illnesses started. The symptoms of a Salmonella infection include nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain and cramps, diarrhea that may be bloody, fever, chills, headache, and muscle pains. The symptoms usually begin within six to seventy-two hours after exposure to the pathogenic bacteria, and usually last two to seven days.
Most people recover on their own without medical intervention, but some people with Salmonella food poisoning become so ill they must be hospitalized. And some can develop serious long term complications from this infection, including reactive arthritis, high blood pressure, heart problems, and irritable bowel syndrome.
If you have eaten Good Earth eggs and have experienced these symptoms, see your doctor. And remember that the safest way to eat eggs is to avoid raw and undercooked eggs. Any recipe containing eggs should be cooked to 165°F and checked with a food thermometer to avoid illness. This step is especially important for those in high risk groups, including children, the elderly, pregnant women, and those with a chronic illness and compromised immune systems.
