Is the carton of eggs in your refrigerator part of the biggest egg recall since 2010?  Rose Acre Farms has voluntarily recalled 206,749,248 eggs after 22 people became ill with salmonella after consuming their products. The eggs were delivered to grocery stores and restaurants (including Waffle House) in these states:

• Colorado
• Florida
• New Jersey
• New York
• North Carolina
• Pennsylvania
• South Carolina
• Virginia
• West Virginia

Eggs laid by hens at the Hyde County, North Carolina facility have all been recalled due to the possibility of contamination with Salmonella Braenderup. The FDA is currently investigating by inspecting the facility and interviewing those who have become ill.

The Mayo Clinic notes. “While an egg’s shell may seem to be a perfect barrier to contamination, someinfected chickens produce eggs that contain salmonella before the shell is even formed.”

The horrific conditions at some factory farms can contribute to infected hens. In fact, the risk of salmonella with factory-farmed hens is 5 times higher than with organic, free-range chickens. (source)

It’s important to note that not everyone is in a situation where they can raise their own hens. But if you can’t, you can look for eggs from reputable farms, local markets, and opt for organic, free-range to avoid the likelihood of illness. If your budget is too tight for organic eggs, be sure to cook them thoroughly before eating them and don’t sample cookie dough or make homemade sauces with raw eggs.

What is salmonella?

For most, salmonella isn’t a deadly infection, but for those with compromised immune systems, the very young, or the elderly, it can be fatal. The Mayo Clinic says:

Salmonella infection (salmonellosis) is a common bacterial disease that affects the intestinal tract. Salmonella bacteria typically live in animal and human intestines and are shed through feces. Humans become infected most frequently through contaminated water or food.

Typically, people with salmonella infection have no symptoms. Others develop diarrhea, fever and abdominal cramps within eight to 72 hours. Most healthy people recover within a few days without specific treatment.

Salmonella infection is usually caused by eating raw or undercooked meat, poultry, eggs or egg products. The incubation period ranges from several hours to two days. Most salmonella infections can be classified as stomach flu (gastroenteritis). Possible signs and symptoms include:

• Nausea
• Vomiting
• Abdominal cramps
• Diarrhea
• Fever
• Chills
• Headache
• Blood in the stool

Signs and symptoms of salmonella infection generally last two to seven days. Diarrhea may last up to 10 days, although it may take several months before bowels return to normal. (source)

Common foods that contain raw egg are cookie dough, homemade ice cream, eggnog, hollandaise sauce, and homemade mayonnaise.

These brands have been recalled.

Food Safety News has provided a list of the eggs that have been recalled:

If you have these eggs, you can return them to where they were purchased for a full refund.