Check Your Fridge: FDA Recalls Free Range Eggs

The Food and Drug Administration has expanded a recall of free range eggs over concerns of salmonella.

What happened?

At the end of September, the FDA inspected the processing facility of the Black Sheep Egg Company in Arkansas.  Their testing picked up seven different strains of salmonella.

As a result, the company issued a recall of the products, 12- and 18- count cartons of their Free Range Large Grade A Brown eggs, with Sell By Dates of August 22 through October 31.  Check the website linked above for sample labels.

Sadly, that's not all.

Unfortunately, it's not entirely as simple as avoiding that one brand.

According to the FDA, Black Sheep Egg Co. distributed eggs to other companies across the country, who may have repackaged them.  It's also possible, even likely, that some were shipped straight to restaurants.

Earlier this week, a Texas company named Kenz Henz recalled some of their eggs because they came from the recalled Black Sheep shipments.

So far, there's no evidence they made it to Montana, but the FDA is still tracking down where the eggs wound up.  One estimate puts the number of recalled eggs at 6 million, so it could take a while.

What to look out for.

Salmonella symptoms can start showing within hours of consumption, and include diarrhea, fever and cramps.  Most people will recover after a week, but the very young, very old, and those with weakened immune systems may have worse reactions.

As with any food recall, if you have the recalled eggs (or think you might), don't eat it.  Don't chance it, just throw them out.  You'll also want to thoroughly anything that might have come in contact with the eggs.