According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the outbreak originated in eggs sold in California and Nevada and has now spread to 14 states.
Federal health officials said Thursday that the egg-related Salmonella outbreak Eggs has sickened 95 people in 14 states, including 18 hospitalizations.
According to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), Country Eggs, based in Lucerne Valley, California, has announced a recall of its large, free-range, brown “Sunny Yolk” and “Omega-3 Golden Yolk” eggs.
The recalled eggs were sold in grocery stores and delivered to foodservice distributors in California and Nevada between June 16 and July 9, with a best-before date of July 1 through September 18. The recalled cartons were also sold under the Nagatoshi Produce, Misuho, and Nijiya Markets brands.
According to the CDC, 73 of the 95 people have become ill so far, most of them in California. But cases have also been reported in 13 other U.S. states, including Washington, Minnesota, New York, and Pennsylvania. No deaths have been reported so far.
However, Matthew Moore, an associate professor in the Department of Food Science at the University of Massachusetts Amherst, said the number of cases is likely to rise. He said many people don’t see their doctors after contracting food poisoning, and even if they do, they don’t necessarily get tested for the bacteria. Dr. Moore said this is likely just the “tip of the iceberg.”
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), only about 1 in 30 Salmonella infections is diagnosed.
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Potentially Serious Infections Salmonella outbreak Eggs
Salmonella is the leading cause of food poisoning-related deaths in the United States. It typically causes diarrhea, fever, and stomach cramps, which begin six hours to six days after ingesting the bacteria. Symptoms usually resolve on their own within four to seven days.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention advises seeking medical attention if you experience severe symptoms of infection—such as a fever over 102 degrees Fahrenheit (39.9 degrees Celsius), diarrhea that persists for more than three days and doesn’t improve, or vomiting so severe that you can’t keep liquids down.
This outbreak follows a salmonella outbreak linked to eggs this year that sickened 134 people, hospitalized 38 people, and resulted in one death.
Furthermore, there have been recent reports that federal health officials have reduced operations of the Foodborne Disease Active Surveillance Network (FoodNet), a government system used to track foodborne infections. The program used to track infections caused by eight different bacteria in participating states. Now, FoodNet requires participating state and federal health departments to track only two bacteria: salmonella and one strain of E. coli.
“If you’re only monitoring for two foodborne pathogens, that’s very problematic,” said Felicia Wu, a professor of food safety, toxicology, and risk assessment at Michigan State University. She also said the reduced operations could make it more difficult for health departments to quickly communicate emerging outbreaks to the public.
Dr. Moore says residents of California and Nevada should be extra careful to ensure their eggs are not affected by the recall. The CDC urges people to wash any items or surfaces that have come into contact with the recalled eggs and throw them away or return them to the store where they were purchased.
How to Avoid Salmonella Infection
While anyone can get sick with Salmonella, people under the age of 5 or over the age of 65 are at highest risk for severe illness. People with underlying medical conditions, such as heart disease or a weakened immune system, are also particularly vulnerable.
If you’ve already removed your eggs from their original box and don’t know if they’re part of the recall, it’s best to throw them away if you live in California or Nevada and are at higher risk for infection, Dr. Moore says.
Remember, you don’t need to ingest a large amount of the bacteria to get sick, Dr. Moore says.
“Just a few bites,” he says. “You don’t necessarily have to eat the whole egg.”
To reduce the risk of foodborne illness, public health experts recommend following these basic food safety principles.
Cook your food. Raw or undercooked chicken, eggs, and meats like beef and pork pose the greatest risk for salmonella infection, so cook food thoroughly (including egg yolks) before eating. Use a food thermometer to ensure the internal temperature of chicken reaches 165 degrees Fahrenheit (about 74 degrees Celsius) and that of beef and pork reaches 145 degrees Fahrenheit (about 64 degrees Celsius). If cooking eggs, make sure the yolk is set, not runny.
Practice good hygiene. Wash your hands before, during, and after handling raw eggs or meat. It’s also important to wash any surfaces that have come into contact with raw food—cutting boards, knives, and countertops—with hot, soapy water.
Store food properly. Salmonella multiplies faster in warm environments, so refrigerate eggs, meat, and other perishable foods as soon as possible after purchasing them. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends refrigerating all perishable foods within two hours, or within one hour if the weather is very hot (over 90 degrees Fahrenheit). If you plan to cook frozen chicken, thaw it in the refrigerator rather than on the counter.
Consider pasteurized eggs. Any whole or liquid egg labeled “pasteurized” has been heated to kill pathogens like salmonella, making it safer than unpasteurized eggs. However, whole, pasteurized eggs are often difficult to find.
Credit : nytime
