The following statement was released by officials of Country Eggs, Inc. regarding the voluntary recall of shell eggs supplied from Wright County Egg of Galt, Iowa.

Country Eggs, Inc. is voluntary recalling specific Julian dates of shell eggs produced by Wright County Egg of Galt, Iowa because they have the potential to be contaminated with Salmonella.  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, endocardiditis or arthritis.

Eggs affected by the recall were distributed to food wholesalers, distribution centers and foodservice companies in California, Arizona and Nevada. Eggs were packaged under the Country Eggs, Inc brand name in 15 dozen bulk pack with the identifying plant code of P 1946 and P 1026.  Julian code dates are 216-221. Dates and codes can be found on the box label. 

The FDA and CDC have reported confirmed cases of Salmonella enteritidis illnesses relating to the affected shell eggs and traceback investigations are ongoing. Country Eggs is fully cooperating with FDA’s investigation by undertaking this voluntary recall.  Our primary concern is keeping Salmonella out of the food supply and away from customers- this voluntary measure is consistent with our commitment to egg safety and it is our responsibility.

Consumers who believe they have purchased these shell eggs should not eat them but should either destroy or return them to the distributors where they were purchased for a full refund.  This recall is of shell eggs only.  Other fresh shell eggs and egg products sold by Country Eggs, Inc. are not affected.

GloryBee Foods, Inc., of Eugene, Oregon is voluntarily recalling Aunt Patty’s brand 5 pound bags of Whole Raw Pistachios and 25 lb. boxes of Specialty Commodities brand Whole Raw Pistachios Kernels, because it has the potential to be contaminated with Salmonella, 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 (which may be bloody), 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 (i.e., infected aneurysms), endocarditis and arthritis.

The Whole Raw Pistachio Kernels were distributed in Oregon (Western to Central Oregon) and Washington (Western Washington) by direct delivery to retail stores and bakeries.

Whole Raw Pistachio Kernels were sold to GloryBee Foods, Inc. in 25 lb. boxes from Specialty Commodities, Inc. Labels on these boxes consist of “Packed for Specialty Commodities, Los Angeles, CA. 90010.” The sides of the boxes are stamped in red with the lot number 32043.

GloryBee Foods, Inc. also re-packed these pistachios into 5 lb. bags (2.27 kg) labeled “Aunt Patty’s Whole Raw Pistachios,” lot number MG0017400, item number 16046., P/D 07/06/10, and UPC 0 30042 70040 8.

Hillandale Farms of Iowa is voluntarily recalling shell eggs because they have the potential to be contaminated with Salmonella. 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.

Eggs affected by this recall were distributed to grocery distribution centers, retail grocery stores and foodservice companies which service or are located in fourteen states, including the following: Arkansas, California, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, South Dakota, Texas, and Wisconsin.

There have been laboratory-confirmed Salmonella enteritidis illnesses associated with the shell eggs; the investigation is ongoing.

Eggs are distributed under the following brand names: Hillandale Farms, Sunny Farms, and Sunny Meadow in 6-egg cartons, dozen-egg cartons, 18-egg cartons, 30-egg package, and 5-dozen cases. Loose eggs are packaged under the following brand names: Wholesome Farms and West Creek in 15 and 30-dozen tray packs. The loose eggs may also be repackaged by customers.

The only eggs effected by this recall have plant numbers P1860 or P1663 and Julian dates as follows:

P1860 – Julian dates ranging from 099 to 230
P1663 – Julian dates ranging from 137 to 230
Only eggs with these plant numbers are effected – even though the brand name may be the same

Julian dates and plant codes can be found stamped on the end of the egg carton or printed on the case label. The plant number begins with the letter P and then the number. The Julian date follows the plant number, for example: P1860 230.

Consumers who believe they may have purchased these shell eggs should not eat them but should return them to the store where they were purchased for a full refund.

Hillandale Farms strives to provide our customers with safe, high-quality eggs – that is our responsibility and our commitment and why we are fully cooperating with FDA’s investigation and are undertaking this voluntary recall. Additionally, as a precautionary measure, we are also diverting our existing inventory of shell eggs.

The CDC has compiled information from the Food and Drug Administration as well as state and local public health departments during its ongoing investigation into a rapid increase of Salmonella cases throughout the country. Named as a possible source of the Salmonella bacteria during this investigation is Wright County Egg, a Galt, Iowa company.

So far, from May 1, 2010 through July 31, 2010, over 1900 illnesses have been reported. The CDC has indicated that this is a huge increase from the 700 cases it would normally see each year during that time.

The current problem is that Salmonella cases originating after July 13^th may not have been reported as of yet. Normally the time from a Salmonella illness to reporting can range from two to three weeks.

According to the figure below, a gradual increase in reported Salmonella cases begins in April. This reaches a maximum during the first week in July. However, a large number of Salmonellosis foodborne illness cases were reported in June. Based on the figure you can see that the shaded grey area represents the time period during which information gathering is still ongoing.

Food poisoning case investigation can be a time consuming task. From the time an individual eats a contaminated food item, such as an egg carrying Salmonella to the time they realize they are sick can be days.  According to the CDC’s timeline for reporting cases described below, diagnosis can be delayed by up to nine days after consuming a food item. Stool samples must be collected and the bacteria must be identified. Then, once the bacteria is identified, it can take up to a week for public health to receive the sample. Finally, DNA fingerprinting, also known as serotyping can take an extra two to ten days. It is not until this point that a case can be directly linked to a specific foodborne illness outbreak.

This recall is enormous. The investigation will take time and effort. However, manufacturers are always responsible for ensuring that food safety criteria are met. Food manufacturers, processors and producers must ensure that food items are free from bacteria such as Salmonella enteritidis.

With 380 million eggs currently recalled, the impacts of the current Salmonella outbreak will likely be far reaching. Let’s take a look at the geographic distribution of currently identified Salmonella cases, cases currently being investigated, and areas where recalled eggs were sold or distributed.

According to Reuters.com, identified Salmonella cases have been reported in California, Colorado, and Minnesota. Los Angeles County reported that California has identified 266 cases of Salmonella as of Tuesday August 17^th. Cases are currently under investigation by the CDC, FDA, and state/local officials in California, Colorado, Connecticut, Massachusetts, Maryland, Minnesota, North Carolina, Nevada, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Tennessee and Texas.

According to the Egg Safety Center, the eggs recalled by Wright County Egg, which is being investigated as a potential source of the bacteria, have been distributed nationwide. The information they provided indicates that “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. These companies distribute nationwide.”

Initially thirteen brand names of eggs were listed in the recall. These included Lucerne, Albertson, Mountain Dairy, Ralph’s, Boomsma’s, Sunshine, Hillandale, Trafficanda, Farm Fresh, Shoreland, Lund, Dutch Farms and Kemps. The recall was then expanded. According to the FDA, “eggs affected by the expanded recall were distributed to food wholesalers, distribution centers and foodservice companies in California, Arizona, Missouri, Minnesota, Texas, Georgia, Washington, Oregon, Colorado, Nevada, Iowa, Illinois, Utah, Nebraska, Arkansas, Wisconsin and Oklahoma. These companies distribute nationwide. Eggs are packaged under the following brand names: Albertsons, Farm Fresh, James Farms, Glenview, Mountain Dairy, Ralphs, Boomsma, Lund, Kemps and Pacific Coast.”

Additional information concerning this recall will be posted soon. Check www.nbafoodadvocate.com frequently for updated information.

Umpqua Dairy Products Company closed one plant located in Roseburg, Oregon due to Salmonella concerns. Salmonella has been identified on plant equipment and sterilization is currently underway.  This Salmonella identification has led to the recall of certain Umpqua Dairy products. The dairy’s press release identified the following items, if “purchased on or prior to August 16, 2010,” as being voluntarily recalled:

1. Milk, flavored milk, half-and-half and cream with an expiration date of Sept. 5, 2010 under the Umpqua Dairy, Cascade, Great Value, Lady Lee, Market of Choice and Sherm’s brand labels;
2. Buttermilk under Umpqua Dairy, Cascade, Great Value, Lady Lee, Market of Choice and Sherm’s brand labels with an expiration date of Sept. 10, 2 010 or earlier
3. Umpqua Dairy Brand gallon, half gallon, quarts and pints of orange juice and fruit drink with an expiration date of Sept. 15, 2010 or earlier
4. Any fluid milk product stamped with a plant code 41-62.

FoxNews reported that the voluntarily recalled dairy products were sold in southwest Washington state, Oregon, and northern California. The foodborne illness recall is linked to Salmonella braenderup, a strain of Salmonella bacteria which causes Salmonellosis food poisoning. So far, twenty-three people have food poisoning related to Salmonella braenderup.

Salmonella food poisoning, also known as Salmonellosis, causes diarrhea, fever, and abdominal discomfort. In rare cases, Salmonella has been linked to hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS), a rare but potentially fatal kidney complication as well as reactive arthritis and bloodstream infections.

In-shell eggs from Wright County Egg in Galt, Iowa are being investigated by the CDC as a possible source for an ongoing Salmonella enteritidis outbreak. According to a recent USA Today article, hundreds are ill with Salmonella. Over 300 million eggs have been voluntarily recalled. Voluntarily recalled eggs were marketed under the name Lucerne, Albertson, Mountain Dairy, Ralph’s, Boomsma’s, Sunshine, Hillandale, Trafficanda, Farm Fresh, Shoreland, Lund, Dutch Farms and Kemps. The recall dates range from May 16^th through August 13^th, 2010.

According to the USA Today article:

They come in cartons ranging from six to 18 eggs and are marked with plant numbers P-1026, P-1413 and P-1946. The eggs should be returned for a refund and not consumed.

The type of salmonella causing the outbreak, salmonella enteritidis, is the most common form. The normal level of laboratory-confirmed cases nationally for this specific type is about 50 cases per week. When that jumped to 200 cases a week in June, public health workers realized they had a problem, says Casey Barton Behravesh, a veterinary epidemiologist with the CDC. Many states had reported increases since May.

The CDC investigation is providing additional information on an on-going basis. We will keep you posted.

The following statement was released by officials of NuCal Foods of Ripon, California regarding the voluntary recall of shell eggs supplied from Wright County Egg of Galt, Iowa.

NuCal Foods is voluntarily recalling specific Julian dates of shell eggs produced by Wright County Egg and packaged by NuCal Foods because they have the potential to be contaminated with Salmonella. 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.

Eggs affected by this recall were distributed to food wholesalers and retailers in California and Nevada. NuCal Foods received these eggs from Wright County Egg which were then packaged into 5-dozen overwrapped retail units. In addition to those products listed in the original Wright County Egg media statement dated August 13, 2010, the following products are being recalled:

Dates and codes can be found printed on the overwrap film. The plant number begins with the letter P and then the number. The Julian date follows the plant number, for example P-1686 142.

Wright County Egg’s media statement indicates that there have been confirmed Salmonella enteritidis illnesses relating to shell eggs from Wright County Egg, and traceback investigations are ongoing.

Consumers who believe they may have purchased these shell eggs should not eat them but should return them to the store where they were purchased for a full refund. This recall is of shell eggs only.

The following statement was released by officials of Wright County Egg regarding the US Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) investigation of potential incidence of Salmonella enteritidis (SE).

Wright County Egg of Galt, Iowa is expanding its voluntary recall (original recall date: August 13, 2010) of specific Julian dates of shell eggs produced by their farms because they have the potential to be contaminated with Salmonella. 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.

Eggs affected by the expanded recall were distributed to food wholesalers, distribution centers and foodservice companies in California, Arizona, Missouri, Minnesota, Texas, Georgia, Washington, Oregon, Colorado, Nevada, Iowa, Illinois, Utah, Nebraska, Arkansas, Wisconsin and Oklahoma. These companies distribute nationwide.

Eggs are packaged under the following brand names: Albertsons, Farm Fresh, James Farms, Glenview, Mountain Dairy, Ralphs, Boomsma, Lund, Kemps and Pacific Coast. Eggs are packed in varying sizes of cartons (6-egg cartons, dozen egg cartons, 18-egg cartons, and loose eggs for institutional use and repackaging) with Julian dates ranging from 136 to 229 and plant numbers 1720 and 1942.

Dates and codes can be found stamped on the end of the egg carton or printed on the case label. The plant number begins with the letter P and then the number. The Julian date follows the plant number, for example: P-1720 223.

Prior Recall
Eggs under the August 13, 2010 recall 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, and loose eggs for institutional use and repackaging) with Julian dates ranging from 136 to 225 and plant numbers 1026, 1413 and 1946.
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. Our primary concern is keeping Salmonella out of the food supply and away from consumers. As a precautionary measure, Wright County Egg also has decided to divert its existing inventory of shell eggs from the recalled plants to a breaker, where they will be pasteurized to kill any Salmonella bacteria present.

Consumers who believe they may have purchased these shell eggs should not eat them but should return them to the store where they were purchased for a full refund. This recall is of shell eggs only. Other egg products produced by Wright County Eggs are not affected.the safety of consumers – this voluntary measure is consistent with our commitment to egg safety, and it is our responsibility.

The FDA released the following information:

New York State Agriculture Commissioner Patrick Hooker today warned consumers in the Queens County, New York area not to consume certain “Queso Cotija Cheese” made by Mexicali Cheese Corp, 91-52 87th Street, Woodhaven, New York 11421 due to possible Staphylococcus aureus contamination.

The recalled grated Cotija style cheese is contained in 14-ounce clear plastic packages with a plant code of #36-0128 and with “SELL BY 102910″ affixed to the package. The manufacturer name presented on the package is Mexicali Cheese Corp. The product was distributed in Queens.

A routine sample of the cheese, taken by an inspector from the Division of Milk Control and Dairy Services on July 28, 2010, was subsequently tested by the Department’s Food Laboratory and discovered to be contaminated with high levels of Staphylococcus aureus. On August 3, 2010, the manufacturer was notified of the positive test result and voluntarily recalled the product. The recalled cheese was grated from a larger wheel of cheese that remained at the plant and was disposed of by the manufacturer.

Staphylococcus aureus is a bacteria that usually causes rapid food poisoning symptoms, including nausea, vomiting, retching, abdominal cramping and prostration. In more severe cases, headache, muscle cramping and transient changes in blood pressure and pulse may occur. Recovery generally takes two days. All people are susceptible and death is very rare, however such cases have occurred among the elderly, infants and severely debilitated persons.

To date, no illnesses are known by the Department to be associated with this product. Consumers who have purchased Mexicali’s “Queso Cotija Cheese” should return the product to the place of purchase or discard.