A Salmonella Outbreak Linked to Recalled Eggs Has Now Sickened 98 People in 17 States

What to Check in Your Kitchen

If you keep eggs in the refrigerator, this is a good moment to look at the carton. A multistate salmonella outbreak tied to recalled shell eggs has now sickened 98 people, and the eggs at the center of it reached grocery coolers in several states.

The CDC, in an update dated July 24, reported the illnesses across 17 states. The recall covers a large volume of product, which means cartons purchased recently are worth a second look before the next breakfast.

The Scale of the Recall

On July 22, Midwest Poultry Services, L.P. recalled more than 1.5 million dozen shell eggs over possible salmonella contamination. That is a substantial amount of product moving back off shelves and out of home refrigerators.

The recall is a precautionary step taken while officials work to confirm the source. Pulling the eggs is meant to reduce the chance of further illness, not a finding that every carton carried contamination. For shoppers, the practical response is to check whether any eggs on hand match the recalled product and to follow the recall guidance rather than assume.

Who Has Been Affected

The CDC reports 26 hospitalizations among those sickened. That figure represents 36 percent of the 72 people for whom information was available, meaning more than one in three of those cases required hospital care.

No deaths have been reported. The CDC also notes that the true number of illnesses is likely higher than the confirmed count, because many people recover without seeking medical care and recent cases can take three to four weeks to appear in outbreak reporting. The 98 figure reflects confirmed cases logged so far, not a final tally.

How the Eggs Reached Shoppers

The recalled eggs were distributed to retailers, and reporting on the recall identified Kroger and Brookshire’s among the stores that received them. For customers of those chains, checking recently purchased cartons against the recall details is the direct step to take.

Salmonella typically causes symptoms such as diarrhea, fever, and stomach cramps that begin within hours to days of exposure. Most people recover without treatment, though young children, older adults, and those with weakened immune systems face higher risk of serious illness.

For anyone who finds a recalled carton at home, health guidance in these situations is straightforward. The safest step is not to eat the eggs, to return them where possible, and to clean any surfaces or containers they touched. Washing hands after handling raw eggs and cooking eggs thoroughly are standard precautions that reduce the risk salmonella poses in the kitchen.

The Investigation Underway

The CDC, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, and public health and regulatory officials in several states are jointly investigating the outbreak. The agencies are collecting different types of data to trace where the contamination originated and confirm the full scope of affected product.

That joint work is standard for a multistate outbreak. It combines illness reports, laboratory testing, and distribution records to connect scattered cases to a common source. As the investigation continues, officials may update the case count, the list of affected states, or the recall details.

Multistate outbreaks often take weeks to come into full focus. Because confirming a case and linking it to a common source involves laboratory work and cross-state coordination, the picture can shift as more reports arrive. For shoppers, the steady guidance through that process stays the same: check the carton and follow the recall.

Where Things Stand

As of the July 24 CDC update, the outbreak accounts for 98 confirmed illnesses and 26 hospitalizations across 17 states, with no deaths reported. Midwest Poultry Services recalled more than 1.5 million dozen shell eggs on July 22, and the CDC and FDA investigation remains active. That is the most recent verified status for shoppers checking their cartons.

References: Investigation | Eggs Recalled Salmonella Kroger July 2026