August 20, 2010

Iowa's Wright County Egg recalls shell eggs on salmonella concerns

Wright County Egg is voluntarily recalling specific Julian dates of shell eggs produced by their farms on fears of salmonella contamination.

According to US news sources, 228 million eggs were recalled.

Eggs affected by this recall were distributed to food wholesalers, distribution centres and foodservice companies in California, Illinois, Missouri, Colorado, Nebraska, Minnesota, Wisconsin and Iowa.

Eggs are packaged under the following 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 (6-egg cartons, dozen egg cartons, 18-egg cartons) with Julian dates ranging from 136 to 225 and plant numbers 1026, 1413 and 1946. Dates and codes can be found stamped on the end of the egg carton. The plant number begins with the letter P and then the number. The Julian date follows the plant number, for example: P-1946 223. There have been confirmed salmonella enteritidis illnesses relating to the shell eggs and traceback investigations are ongoing.

Wright County Egg is fully cooperating with FDA's investigation by undertaking this voluntary recall. The primary concern is keeping salmonella out of the food supply and away from consumers. As a precautionary measure, Wright County Egg has decided to divert its existing inventory of shell eggs to a breaker, where they will be pasteurised to kill any salmonella bacteria present.