A major Costco egg recall due to possible salmonella was recently upgraded to a higher level by the Federal Drug Administration, NBC News reported, with officials saying those who consume the products could suffer "serious adverse health consequences or death."
The initial recall, issued Nov. 27, impacts 24-count eggs sold under the Kirkland Signature brand supplied by New York based-Handsome Brook Farms. According to the FDA, the eggs were distributed in 25 Costco stores in five states: Alabama, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina and Tennessee.
"The Organic Pasture Raised 24-Count Eggs with UPC 9661910680 are packaged in plastic egg cartons labeled with Kirkland Signature on the top," the FDA said. No other products are impacted by the recall, the FDA added.
According to a release, the recall was initiated after the company determined that eggs that not intended for retail distribution were in fact packaged and distributed to retail stories.
"Additional supply chain controls and retraining are being put in place to prevent recurrence," the FDA said.
Customers with the affected product should dispose of it, or return it to their local Costco store for a full refund, the FDA said.
No illness complaints were reported, the FDA added.
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The eggs have the potential to be contaminated with salmonella, the FDA said, which can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections, especially in those who are young, elderly, or those with weakened immune systems.
"Healthy persons infected with Salmonella often experience fever, diarrhea (which may be bloody), nausea, vomiting and abdominal pain," the FDA said. "In rare circumstances, infection with Salmonella can result in the organism getting into the bloodstream and producing more severe illnesses such as arterial infections (i.e., infected aneurysms), endocarditis and arthritis."
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More information about the recall can be found here.
