Eggs, pistachio butter sold in Mississippi pulled in salmonella recalls

Several salmonella-related food alerts are giving Mississippi shoppers reason to check what they have at home. 

The Clarion Ledger reported recalled eggs and a Walmart-only pistachio butter were sold in the state, and a separate jalapeño outbreak has added to concern about contaminated food.

What happened?

Among the notices, the biggest is a July 22 recall of nearly 1.6 million cage-free eggs. Midwest Poultry Services L.P. said the eggs could be contaminated with salmonella enteritidis, and the company's announcement noted that they were sold under brands including Country Morning, Cal-Maine Sunups, Brookshire's, Simple Truth, and Kroger.

By July 24, the FDA said at least 98 people in 17 states had reported illnesses linked to the eggs. Twenty-five of those cases led to hospitalization, no deaths were reported, and the agency said 91% of patients reported eating eggs before becoming sick.

The other recall covers Bettergoods Pistachio Nut Butter, a 6.7-ounce product sold only at Walmart, as the Clarion Ledger noted. The FDA said no illnesses had been reported, but testing by the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services found salmonella in three jars. 

Separately, the FDA has linked jalapeños from Sinaloa, Mexico, to 345 cases and 36 hospitalizations in 27 states. Those peppers were distributed to wholesalers and restaurants across the country.

Why does it matter?

Salmonella infections can bring on fever, diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, and abdominal pain, usually within 12 to 72 hours of eating contaminated food. In more serious cases, the infection can reach the bloodstream and become especially dangerous for young children, older adults, and people with weakened immune systems.

Mississippi is among the affected states because eggs from two Texas farms were shipped to multiple states, and the recalled pistachio butter was sold in 19 states, including Mississippi.

As these recalls stack up, it brings up real concerns that there are gaps in the food industry. Whether it's weak oversight, lax safety protocols, or supply chain shortcuts, it seems eaters have never faced so many pitfalls when picking out groceries.

What can I do?

Consumers should begin by checking any egg cartons and pistachio butter jars they have at home. The recalled eggs are marked with carton codes P-1950 or 0840962 and a Julian date between 157 and 184. 

For the nut butter, only the Bettergoods jar with the listed UPC, lot code, and expiration date is included in the recall.

The FDA says consumers should not eat the recalled eggs, pistachio butter, or affected peppers. After restaurants switched to different pepper suppliers by July 20, the FDA said it "does not consider there to be a current ongoing risk from these establishments to consumers in this outbreak."

Anyone who bought the eggs or nut butter should return them to the store for a refund, and disinfect any surfaces the eggs or peppers may have touched, per the Clarion Ledger.

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