San Diego residents may want to think twice before making scrambled eggs.
Happy Hens egg farmis voluntarily recalling some of its eggs over concerns they could be contaminated with salmonella.
The California Department of Public Health is also warning consumers about the potential contamination.
Consumers with Happy Hens organic eggs in their refrigerators are being advised to toss them or return them to the store. The recalled eggs have sell-by dates of Sept. 10, Sept. 13 and Sept. 24.
The recalled eggs were sold in a range of sizes, from dozen- and 18-count cartons to 20- and 30-count flats. The recall also includes 15-dozen cases distributed to foodservice customers.
Happy Hens issued a voluntary recall on Sept. 8 following a salmonella outbreak that sickened 23 people between June 21 and Aug. 16.
An investigation by the San Diego County Health and Human Services Agency, which included interviews with people who became ill, traced the outbreak to the farm.
Before the recall, Happy Hens co-owner Chloe Nevarez said on Aug. 17 that she did not believe there was evidence at the time connecting the farm’s eggs to the illnesses. She also said the farm’s chickens had not tested positive for salmonella before the county announced the outbreak.
“They’ve publicly announced this information, 100% unfounded, not a shred of evidence, not a shred of testing done,” Chloe Nevarez said in an Instagram post. “So again, I hope you guys realize what your food system does and what’s going on here, because this is literally outlandish the things that are happening.”
She added that the farm routinely tests its chickens for salmonella.
Subsequent testing, however, detected salmonella at the farm.
The FDA inspected Happy Hens and collected samples from Aug. 17 through Aug. 20. Two samples taken from the poultry housing tested positive for Salmonella Enteritidis, according to the California Department of Public Health.
Health officials have linked the outbreak to people eating Happy Hens eggs or foods prepared with them. That includes mayonnaise made by a Ramona market using raw eggs supplied by Happy Hens.
Anyone who has handled the recalled eggs should thoroughly clean and sanitize anything that may have come into contact with them. Health officials recommend washing surfaces and utensils with hot, soapy water or running dishwasher-safe items through a dishwasher.
Salmonella symptoms can include diarrhea, fever and stomach cramps, typically appearing anywhere from six hours to six days after exposure. Illness generally lasts four to seven days, and most people recover without treatment, though severe cases can lead to hospitalization.
Children younger than 5, adults 65 and older, and those with weaker immune systems should be even more careful because they have a higher risk of developing severe illness.
Health officials say anyone who develops symptoms within seven days of eating the affected products should contact a health care provider.
The California Department of Public Health, local health departments, the California Department of Food and Agriculture and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration are continuing to investigate the salmonella cases.
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