Eggs recalled due to salmonella warning

In Wisconsin, Illinois and Michigan, two brands of eggs are being removed from shelves following a salmonella warning.

In a notice released Friday, the Food and Drug Administration said it was recalling Milo's Poultry Farms and Tony's Fresh Market brand eggs, distributed by Milo's Poultry Farms LLC, in all three states because they may be contaminated with salmonella.

According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the strain of salmonella was found in the packing plant and chicken house at Milo's Poultry Farms in Wisconsin. Newsweek contacted Milo's Poultry Farms by phone for comment.

The recall came in the wake of a salmonella outbreak in the Midwest. According to the CDC, 65 people from nine states – including the three where the eggs were sold – have been sickened by the same strain of salmonella, with 42 of those sickened being from Wisconsin and 11 from Illinois.

California, Colorado, Iowa, Minnesota, Utah and Virginia are also affected. The CDC said 24 people were hospitalized, but no deaths were reported.

Eating food contaminated with salmonella can lead to salmonellosis, one of the most common bacterial foodborne infections. Symptoms typically include diarrhea, abdominal cramps and fever, which can occur six hours to six days after eating the contaminated food, the Food Safety and Inspection Service said.

Most infected people recover within four to seven days without treatment. However, some people – particularly children under five, adults over 65, and people with weakened immune systems – may experience more severe illness.

All egg cartons and types bearing the name Milo's Poultry Farms, all egg cartons bearing the brand Tony's Fresh Market and all egg cartons for food retailers are affected. The recall includes all best-before dates.

The FDA said the recall was initiated after it informed the company that environmental samples tested positive for the bacteria.

Since then, Milo's Poultry Farms has stopped production and distribution, the FDA said. The company will now undergo “appropriate testing and disinfection of farms and processing equipment,” the FDA said in a statement.

Consumers who have purchased Milo's Poultry Farms or Tony's Fresh Market brand eggs are urged not to consume them. They should throw them away or return them to the place of purchase and wash all surfaces that the eggs may have come into contact with with hot, soapy water.

The CDC warns that controlling the outbreak with commonly recommended antibiotics may be difficult. Laboratory tests have shown that this strain is resistant to both nalidixic acid and ciprofloxacin, the agency said, suggesting that other treatment options may be needed for those who become ill.