Black Sheep Egg Company recalls eggs after FDA testing shows Salmonella

An Arkansas egg producer is recalling 12-count and 18-count cartons of free-range large brown eggs after federal health inspectors detected salmonella contamination at a processing site.

Black Sheep Egg Company of Walnut Ridge, AR, pulled products and notified direct customers about the recall of eggs with best-by dates of Aug. 22 through Oct. 31. The company also distributed eggs to other companies in Arkansas and Missouri between July 9 and Sept. 17. Two UPC codes are affected: 860010568507 and 860010568538.

The move came after U.S. Food and Drug Administration inspectors collected samples from the processing site and found 40 that were positive for salmonella bacteria. Seven different strains of salmonella were identified, including some known to cause human illness. None of those strains has been linked to an ongoing outbreak to date, FDA officials said.

Consumers, restaurants and retail stores should not eat, serve or sell Black Sheep Egg Free Range Large Grade A Brown Eggs in 12-count or 18-count cartons with the affected best-by dates printed on side, the FDA said in a safety alert. Discard them or return them to the place of purchase.

About Salmonella infections
Food contaminated with Salmonella bacteria does not usually look, smell, or taste spoiled. Anyone can become sick with a Salmonella infection. Infants, children, seniors, and people with weakened immune systems are at higher risk of serious illness because their immune systems are fragile, according to the CDC.

Anyone who has eaten any of the recalled eggs and developed symptoms of Salmonella infection should seek medical attention. Sick people should tell their doctors about the possible exposure to Salmonella bacteria because special tests are necessary to diagnose salmonellosis. Salmonella infection symptoms can mimic other illnesses, frequently leading to misdiagnosis.

Symptoms of Salmonella infection can include diarrhea, abdominal cramps, and fever within 12 to 72 hours after eating contaminated food. Otherwise, healthy adults are usually sick for four to seven days. In some cases, however, diarrhea may be so severe that patients require hospitalization.

Older adults, children, pregnant women, and people with weakened immune systems, such as cancer patients, are more likely to develop a severe illness and serious, sometimes life-threatening conditions.

Some people get infected without getting sick or showing any symptoms. However, they may still spread the infections to others.

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