Conventional wisdom says breakfast is the most important meal of the day, but you don’t want to be starting your morning off by eating any of the 19 million eggs that are part of a massive recall.
These eggs, which were sold at Kroger and other retailers, are potentially contaminated with Salmonella. Here’s what you need to know.
What’s happened?
On July 22, egg producer Midwest Poultry Services announced a voluntary recall of 1,589,577 dozen eggs. That equates to just over 19 million eggs in total.
According to the recall notice posted on the website of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the massive egg recall is being initiated because the eggs have the possibility of being contaminated with Salmonella Enteritidis—a subtype of the Salmonella bacterium that can cause severe illness in people.
Midwest Poultry Services (MPS) said it identified the possible contamination at two of its Texas farms via “proactive environmental monitoring practices and root cause analysis.”
As a result, the company says it is not distributing fresh eggs produced at its Texas farms for the time being.
The company also said it “is not aware of any specific illnesses linked to its products.”
What is Salmonella Enteritidis?
Salmonella Enteritidis is one of the thousands of types of Salmonella, and it is often associated with eggs.
According to the USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS), eggs can become infected with Salmonella Enteritidis (SE) in a few different ways.
For instance, the egg can become infected while it is still being formed in the hen, before the shell has formed; during the egg-laying process, where SE contaminates the shell itself; or after egg-laying, where SE can enter the pores in the laid egg.
In other words, Salmonella Enteritidis can infect the egg’s shell on the outside, or yolk and egg whites on the inside.
What are the symptoms of a Salmonella infection?
According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), a Salmonella infection usually presents with the following symptoms:
- Watery diarrhea that might have blood or mucus
- Stomach cramps that can be severe
Additional symptoms may include:
- Headache
- Nausea
- Vomiting
- Loss of appetite
While anyone can get a Salmonella infection, certain individuals have an increased risk of infection, including children younger than 5, adults over the age of 65, adults over the age of 50 who have underlying medical problems, and people with weakened immune systems.
When and where were the recalled eggs sold?
According to the recall notice, the eggs were produced and distributed from Texas farms and shipped to food-service and retail customers in Louisiana, Oklahoma, and Texas.
The notice says the eggs were sold at:
- Kroger stores in Louisiana and Texas
- Brookshire Grocery stores in Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, New Mexico, Oklahoma, and Texas.
- “other smaller retail outlets”
What eggs are included in the recall?
The recalled eggs were produced between June 6, 2026 and July 3, 2026 and feature sell-by or best-by dates of between July 20, 2026 and August 17, 2026.
They include eggs sold under various brand names, including:
- Kroger
- Simple Truth
- Brookshire’s
- Country Morning
- Sunups
You can find a full list of more than 30 impacted products, along with photos, on the FDA’s recall notice.
What should I do if I have the recalled eggs?
The recall notice states that consumers should not consume the recalled eggs. Instead, the recalled eggs should be returned to their place of purchase for a refund.
Consumers who have questions about the recall can contact Midwest Poultry Services at 574-405-9531 or email the company at recallassistance@mpseggs.com.
