FDA Upgrades 19 Million Egg Recall To Highest Risk Level Amid Salmonella Outbreak Sickening Dozens

The Food and Drug Administration has upgraded a recall of nearly 19.1 million eggs to its most serious risk category as federal health officials continue investigating a multistate salmonella outbreak that has sickened nearly 100 people across 17 states.

The agency classified the recall from Midwest Poultry Services, L.P. as a Class I recall, the FDA's highest designation, meaning there is a reasonable probability that exposure to the affected product could cause serious health consequences or death. Midwest Poultry Services originally announced the voluntary recall on July 22, covering 1,589,577 dozen eggs, or roughly 19.1 million individual eggs, due to potential contamination with Salmonella Enteritidis.

The recall covers white shell eggs and brown cage-free shell eggs produced at two of the company's farms in Texas. The eggs were produced and distributed between June 6 and July 3, 2026, and carry sell-by or best-by dates ranging from July 20 through August 17, 2026, meaning some affected cartons may still be sitting in consumers' refrigerators.

Recalled eggs were sold under several brand names, including Kroger, Simple Truth, Brookshire's, Country Morning and Cal-Maine Sunups. According to the FDA, the eggs were distributed to retail and foodservice customers across Texas, Oklahoma and Louisiana, with retail availability specifically at Kroger stores in Texas and Louisiana, Brookshire Grocery stores across Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Louisiana, New Mexico and Mississippi, and other smaller retail outlets.

Consumers can identify recalled cartons by checking for the identifying codes P-1950 or 0840962, along with a Julian date between 157 and 184, printed on the side of the carton in date-coding ink. The eggs were sold in a range of bulk and retail carton sizes, including packages of 6, 12, 18, 24, 30, 36 and 60 eggs.

The recall is tied to an ongoing salmonella investigation that has sickened 98 people across 17 states, including 26 hospitalizations. No deaths have been reported. According to the FDA, most people interviewed as part of the investigation reported having eaten eggs before becoming ill. Samples collected at Midwest Poultry Services' farms also tested positive for salmonella, and genetic testing found that some of those samples matched the strain responsible for the broader outbreak.

"Laboratory, epidemiological, and traceback data from this investigation have determined that shell eggs recalled by Midwest Poultry Services, L.P are a likely source of illnesses in this outbreak," the FDA said in its investigation update. The agency added that the recalled eggs do not account for every illness identified in the outbreak, noting that additional investigation is ongoing to determine whether other sources may also be contributing to the case count.

Midwest Poultry Services said it identified the potential contamination issue through its own proactive environmental monitoring practices and a subsequent root cause analysis. In a statement, the company described its commitment to food safety as central to its operations. "At Midwest Poultry Services, a family-owned and led business, we believe in the power of safe, nutritious eggs to make a real difference in people's lives," the company said, adding that safety practices are "rooted in our values and built into how we operate on every farm, every day." The company said that once it learned of the possible issue, it began diverting eggs to a breaking plant, where they would be pasteurized to eliminate any foodborne pathogens, and that it has ceased distributing fresh eggs from the two affected farms.

Salmonella infections typically cause fever, diarrhea, nausea, vomiting and abdominal pain, with symptoms generally appearing between six hours and six days after exposure and lasting anywhere from four to seven days in most healthy individuals. Young children, older adults and people with weakened immune systems face a significantly higher risk of severe illness. In rare cases, salmonella infection can spread beyond the intestinal tract into the bloodstream, potentially leading to more serious complications, including infected aneurysms, endocarditis and arthritis.

Consumers who have purchased the recalled eggs are advised not to eat them. Instead, the FDA and Midwest Poultry Services are urging affected customers to return the eggs to their original place of purchase for a full refund, and to thoroughly clean any surfaces, containers or utensils that may have come into contact with the recalled product to prevent potential cross-contamination.

The Class I designation places this recall among the most serious food safety actions the FDA issues, a category reserved for situations where the agency has determined a reasonable probability exists that continued exposure to the product could result in serious injury or death, rather than more limited or temporary health effects.

With the outbreak investigation still active and the FDA continuing to examine whether additional sources beyond Midwest Poultry Services may be contributing to the case count, health officials are urging consumers across the affected states to check their egg cartons carefully against the listed plant codes and Julian dates, particularly given how many of the recalled cartons remain within their printed sell-by or best-by window well into mid-August.