contaminated eggs

As the nation's largest egg recall continues, the FDA investigation is focusing on the huge egg farms in Iowa owned by Austin "Jack" DeCoster.

The CDC continues to receive new reports of salmonella illness from the strain of the bacteria implicated in the egg recall. If the chicks did not bring the salmonella with them, then they may have picked up salmonella at the Quality Eggs facility. The source could be contaminated feed -- and Farrar said Quality Egg is the source of the feed used on the farms to which the contaminated eggs were traced. To date, Farrar said, FDA investigators have not isolated salmonella from the suspected facilities. The recalled eggs are packaged under a wide range of brand names. So far, eggs have been recalled in 22 states.

Local grocery stores and restaurants are doing what they can to reduce any fears stemming from a recent nationwide recall of 500 million eggs.

On Aug. 13 Wright County Egg out of Iowa conducted a voluntary recall of its shelled eggs. The recall was expanded Aug. 18.

The eggs have been linked to the bacterium salmonella.
The brands affected by this recall include Bayview, Lucerne, Albertson, Mountain Dairy, Ralph’s, Broomsma’s, Sunshine, Hillandale, Trafficanda, Farm Fresh, Shoreland, Lund, Dutch Farms, Kemps and more, according to the California Department of Public Health.

Owens said the department strongly recommends returning contaminated eggs to stores where they were purchased, but if for some reason consumers want to eat them, they need to be careful how they cook them.

John Stevens, owner of Grocery Outlet on Grass Valley Highway, said customers have returned about two-dozen eggs so far, but the eggs weren’t contaminated.

Keeping customers safe is a priority at the store, Stevens said.
Jennie Teel-Wolter, marketing manager for Raley’s, said the company only had to pull certain cartons of Bayview eggs off its shelves, so it wasn’t highly affected by the recall.

Teel-Wolter said most of the eggs sold at Raley’s come from California, and the company has an internal food-safety department that is always in contact with food-safety agencies to monitor for recalls.

Edelweiss staff members said they have only heard joking comments from customers about the recall.

Browns Valley resident Char Davis, who was enjoying a mid-day meal at Edelweiss Monday, said her actions following the recall helped assuage her fears