Almost 2 Million Eggs Have Been Recalled Over Salmonella Concerns

August Egg Company of Hilmar, CA is issuing a multi-state recall of almost 2 million eggs sold under various brands due to salmonella concerns. The recall is linked with an ongoing outbreak investigation of Salmonella enteritidis illnesses, according to a notice shared by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). 

The eggs were sold in various bundled package sizes, as well as loose, and were sold under nine different brand names. The recalled eggs have been sold as far back as February, raising a lot of questions about which are *actually* impacted and what to do next. 

What is this new egg recall?

This current egg recall impacts eggs that originated with August Egg Company. The company is specifically recalling 1.7 million dozen brown cage free and brown certified organic eggs due potential salmonella contamination. 

This recall is tied with an ongoing investigation of Salmonella enteritidis illnesses that have sickened 79 people across seven states so far, according to the latest update from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). 

The eggs were distributed in these states:

• Arizona
• California
• Illinois
• Indiana
• Nebraska
• New Mexico
• Nevada
• Washington
• Wyoming

The affected eggs were distributed from February 3, 2025 through May 15, 2025, and have sell-by dates ranging from March 4, 2025 to June 4, 2025, according to the recall notice. Those eggs were distributed at Safeway, Save Mart, FoodMaxx, Lucky, Smart & Final, Raleys, Food 4 Less, and Ralphs. The eggs were also distributed to Walmart locations from February 3, 2025 through May 6, 2025, with sell-by dates ranging from March 4, 2025, to June 19, 2025.

The recalled eggs were sold in both fiber and plastic cartons with the plant code number P-6562 or CA5330 with the Julian Dates between 32 to 126. 

The recalled eggs were sold under these names, per the FDA:

• Clover Organic Large Brown 12 eggs
• First Street Cage Free Large Brown Loose 1 case=150 eggs
• Nulaid Medium Brown Cage Free 12 eggs
• Nulaid Jumbo Brown Cage Free 12 eggs
• O Organics Cage Free Large Brown 6 eggs
• O Organics Large Brown 12 eggs
• O Organics Large Brown 18 eggs
• Marketside Organic Large Cage Free Brown 12 eggs
• Marketside Organic Large Cage Free Brown 18 eggs
• Marketside Large Cage Free Brown 12 eggs
• Marketside Large Cage Free Brown 18 eggs
• Raley’s Large Cage Free Brown 12 eggs
• Raley’s Large Cage Free Brown 18 eggs
• Raley’s Organic Large Cage Free Brown 12 eggs
• Raley’s Organic Large Cage Free Brown 18 eggs
• Simple Truth Medium Brown Cage Free 18 eggs
• Simple Truth Large Brown Cage Free 18 eggs
• Sun Harvest Organic Cage Free Large Brown 12 eggs
• Sun Harvest Organic Cage Free Large Brown 18 eggs
• Sunnyside Large Brown Cage Free 12 eggs
• Sunnyside Large Brown Cage Free 18 eggs
• Sunnyside Organic Cage Free Large Brown 12 eggs
• Sunnyside Organic Cage Free Large Brown 18 eggs
• Loose Small Brown Cage Free-1 box= 6 flats 
• Loose Medium Brown Cage Free -1 box= 6 flats 
• Loose Medium Brown Organic -1 box= 6 flats 
• Loose Large Brown Organic-1 box= 6 flats 
• Loose Jumbo Brown Cage Free -1 box=5 flats
• Loose Jumbo Brown Organic -1 box=5 flats

“It is important to know that when our processing plant identified this concern, we immediately began diverting all eggs from the plant to an egg-breaking facility, which pasteurizes the eggs and kills any pathogens,” August Egg Company said in a statement released by the FDA. 

“August Egg Company’s internal food safety team also is conducting its own stringent review to identify what measures can be established to prevent this situation from recurring,” the statement continued. “We are committed to addressing this matter fully and to implementing all necessary corrective actions to ensure this does not happen again.”

Why is this recall dangerous?

Salmonella is the leading cause of foodborne illness in the U.S., sickening about 1.35 million people in the country each year, per CDC data. “The bacteria salmonella can cause illness and includes symptoms such as diarrhea, fever, and stomach cramps,” says food safety expert Ellen Shumaker, PhD, director of outreach for the Safe Plates program at North Carolina State University. “Salmonella infection can be especially serious for the elderly, young children, and those with weakened immune systems, which can result in more serious illness requiring hospitalization.” 

Many people recover within a week without treatment, but salmonella can lead to dehydration, hospitalization, and invasive complications like bloodstream infections or reactive arthritis, says Darin Detwiler, author of the book Food Safety: Past, Present, and Predictions and a professor at Northeastern University. 

Salmonella can be deadly, too: More than 200 people die of salmonella infections each year in the U.S., according to the CDC.  

Can you kill salmonella bacteria by cooking eggs?

Technically, yes, but food safety experts don’t recommend eating recalled eggs. “Many people consume their eggs undercooked and salmonella can still survive in these conditions,” Dr. Shumaker says. “There is also a risk for cross contamination from raw eggs to other foods or surfaces in the kitchen.” 

Meaning, if you handle contaminated eggs and then don’t properly sanitize your hands or surfaces the eggs came into contact with, other foods or surfaces could become contaminated as a result. Detwiler also points out that foods like homemade mayos, dressing, or cookie dough “carry significant risk” of spreading salmonella infection as well because they’re not fully cooked.

How does salmonella bacteria end up in eggs?

There are two main ways that salmonella can contaminate eggs, according to Detwiler. “That includes externally, when eggs come into contact with fecal matter during the laying or packing process,” he says. But salmonella can also internally infect the eggs when an infected hen deposits bacteria inside the egg before the shell forms, Detwiler explains. 

“This means that even clean-looking eggs can harbor salmonella, making preventive controls and safe handling essential,” Detwiler says. 

What to do if you have the recalled eggs at home

If you have the recalled eggs at home, the FDA recommends returning them to where you purchased them for a full refund. If you have questions about the recall, you can also contact August Egg Company at 1-800-710-2554, between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. PT.

“If someone has eaten one of these eggs and feels sick, they should seek medical attention and tell their doctor they may have been exposed to salmonella,” Dr. Shumaker says.  

But if you’ve eaten one of the recalled eggs and you feel okay, Detwiler says there’s no need to panic. “While the chance of illness from a single egg is low, contamination at scale, across millions of eggs, can lead to significant numbers of illnesses,” Detwiler says. “These outbreaks often involve dozens or hundreds of confirmed cases, with many more likely going unreported.”