Salmonella Prompts Another Firm To Recall Eggs

Cal-Maine Foods, Inc. was just notified by the U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA) that one of its suppliers, Ohio Fresh Eggs, LLC of Croton, Ohio, had a routine environmental study sample that tested positive for <"https://www.yourlawyer.com/practice_areas/food_poisoning">Salmonella Enteritidis (SE), the FDA just announced.

Cal-Maine purchased approximately 24,000 dozen unprocessed eggs from Ohio Fresh. The eggs were processed and re-packaged by the Company’s Green Forest, Arkansas, facility between October 9 and 12, 2010; however, Cal-Main was only just notified.

The eggs involved, which were not produced from Cal-Maine flocks, were distributed to food wholesalers and retailers in Arkansas, California, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, Oklahoma, and Texas. To date, there have been no confirmed SE illnesses related to the purchased eggs.

In cooperation with the FDA, Cal-Maine immediately notified its customers and recalled specific Julian dates of shell eggs because the eggs have the potential to be contaminated with SE. The following packages—all of which were produced at plant number 1457—were included in this recall.

• Sunny Meadow Jumbo: UPC Code 6 05388 71459 6; Julian date 282, 284; sell by/expiration date 11/07/10, 11/09/10.

• Sunny Meadow Large: UPC Code – 6 05388 71457 2; Julian date 282; sell by/expiration date 11/07/10.

• Sunny Meadow Large 18: UPC Code – 6 05388 71461 9.

• Sunny Meadow Extra Large: UPC Code – 6 05388 71458 9; Julian date 284; sell by/expiration date 11/09/10.

• Sunny Meadow Extra Large 18: UPC Code – 8 13905 00120 7; Julian date 282; sell by/expiration date 11/07/10.

• Sunny Meadow 5-Dozen: UPC Code – 6 81131 74355 6; Julian date 284; sell by/expiration date 11/09/10.

• Sunny Meadow 6 Pac: UPC Code – 6 05388 71462 6; Julian date 284; sell by/expiration date 11/09/10.

• Springfield Grocer Medium Loose: Julian date 282; sell by/expiration date 11/07/10.

• Springfield Grocer Extra Large Loose: Julian date 284; sell by/expiration date 11/09/10.

• Springfield Grocer Large Loose: Julian date 284; sell by/expiration date 11/09/10.

• Sun Valley Large: UPC Code 0 33643 00018 2; Julian date 284; sell by/expiration date 11/24/10.

• James Farm Medium: UPC Code 0 97009 01083 3; Julian date 285; sell by/expiration date: 11/07/10.

Plant numbers and Julian dates can be found printed on the individual cartons. The Julian date follows the plant number, for example: P1457-282.

Salmonella is an organism, which can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections in young children, frail or elderly people, and others with weakened immune systems. Healthy persons infected with Salmonella often experience fever, diarrhea, nausea, vomiting and abdominal pain. In rare circumstances, infection with Salmonella can result in the organism getting into the bloodstream and producing more severe illnesses such as arterial infections, endocarditis, or arthritis. Consumers who believe they may have purchased potentially affected shell eggs should not eat them but should return them to the store where they were purchased for a full refund. Questions and concerns may also be directed to Cal-Maine’s corporate office at 1-866-276-6299 between 8:00 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. Central Daylight Time.

Cal-Maine Foods, Inc. is primarily engaged in the production, grading, packing, and sale of fresh shell eggs and is headquartered in Jackson, Mississippi, and is currently the largest producer and distributor of fresh shell eggs in the United States. Cal-Maine Foods sells the majority of its shell eggs in approximately 29 states across the southwestern, southeastern, mid-western, and mid-Atlantic regions of the United States.