Egg recall linked to salmonella upgraded to highest risk level by FDA
An egg recall linked to a salmonella outbreak has been upgraded to the highest risk level by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
The agency on Wednesday upgraded the recall to a Class I recall, defined by the FDA as a "situation in which there is a reasonable probability that the use of or exposure to a violative product will cause serious adverse health consequences or death."
The new classification does not necessarily mean there's been an "expansion or change" to the original recall announcement, with the FDA explaining that the agency often classifies a recall days or weeks after a company first announces the voluntary action.
The update comes three weeks after Midwest Poultry Services voluntarily recalled nearly 1.6 million dozen eggs -- approximately 19 million individual eggs -- due to the potential for salmonella contamination, according to a July 22 company announcement shared on the FDA website.
The FDA and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said in a later update that 98 people had been infected, including 26 who had been hospitalized, across 17 states. No deaths have been reported.
The recalled white shell eggs and brown cage free shell eggs were produced in Texas and have "sell by" or "best by" dates between July 20, 2026, and Aug. 17, 2026, according to Midwest Poultry Services.
The recalled eggs were available at Kroger locations in Texas and Louisiana; Brookshire Grocery stores in Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Louisiana, New Mexico, and Mississippi; and "other smaller retail outlets," the company said.
The eggs were also shipped to foodservice customers in Texas, Oklahoma and Louisiana, according to the recall notice.
Midwest Poultry Services has advised customers not to consume the recalled eggs and to return the product to its original place of purchase for a full refund.
The recalled eggs can be identified by a code number -- P-1950 or 0840962 with a Julian Date between 157 and 184 -- printed in date-coding ink on the left or right sides of the carton, according to the company.
A full list of impacted products, including UPC and identifying codes, product descriptions, photos, and "best by" dates, can be found on the FDA website.
"No other Midwest Poultry Services, L.P. products are part of this recall," the company said.
Midwest Poultry Services told ABC News in a statement on July 23 that it initiated the recall "as a precautionary measure" and was not aware of any illnesses linked to its products.
"At Midwest Poultry Services, a family-owned and led business, we believe in the power of safe, nutritious eggs to make a real difference in people's lives. The work our team does is in service of that, and nothing supports it more directly than the practices that keep every egg we produce safe," the company said. "These practices are rooted in our values and built into how we operate on every farm, every day."
"When we learned of a possible issue with egg safety, we began diverting eggs to a breaking plant where they would be pasteurized to kill any foodborne pathogens," it continued. "We also began a robust internal investigation and initiated testing protocols to identify potential sources of [salmonella]."
The company added, "Producing safe, quality food for those who eat our eggs is our highest priority, and this voluntary investigation and recall demonstrates that commitment."
Salmonella are bacteria that cause about 1.35 million infections in the U.S. every year, with contaminated food as the source of most of these illnesses, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
People can become infected with salmonella after unknowingly swallowing the bacteria, or after touching infected animals, animal feces, and "places animals live and roam," according to the agency.
Symptoms of salmonella -- including abdominal pain, fever, headache, watery diarrhea that may also have blood or mucus, loss of appetite, nausea, and vomiting -- usually begin six hours to six days after swallowing the bacteria, according to the CDC.
Most people recover from salmonella without treatment after four to seven days.
Some people, particularly children under the age of 5 and adults 65 and older, or those with weakened immune systems, may experience "more severe illnesses that require medical treatment or hospitalization," the CDC says.
