Millions of Eggs Recalled Over Salmonella Risk: The Codes Shoppers Must Check Now

The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has placed a recall covering nearly 19.1 million eggs in its highest-risk category after the products were linked to a multistate Salmonella outbreak. Consumers with older cartons should check the codes before eating them, even though the recalled eggs' sell-by and best-by dates ended on 17 August.

The recall covers 1,589,577 dozen eggs produced by Midwest Poultry Services L.P. at farms in Texas between 6 June and 3 July 2026. The eggs were distributed through retail and foodservice channels. Confirmed distribution covers six states, although the FDA warns the products could have travelled further.

Affected brands include Country Morning, Cal-Maine Sunups, Brookshire's, Simple Truth and Kroger. The recalled eggs were sold in retail packs ranging from six to 60 eggs, as well as bulk quantities for foodservice customers. This means consumers may encounter the affected products in household refrigerators as well as commercial kitchens.

Check the Codes on Your Egg Carton

The key identifying information is printed in date-coding ink on the left or right side of the carton. Consumers should look for either P-1950 or 0840962, together with a Julian date between 157 and 184.

A Julian date indicates the numbered day of the year. Dates 157 through 184 correspond to eggs produced from 6 June through 3 July, matching the production period identified by the FDA.

The affected eggs have sell-by or best-by dates between 20 July and 17 August 2026. Although those dates have passed, recalled cartons could still be sitting in consumers' refrigerators.

Anyone who finds a carton matching the recall identifiers should not eat the eggs. The FDA advises consumers to throw them away or return them to the place of purchase for a refund. If eggs were removed from their original packaging and consumers cannot determine whether they are recalled, they should be discarded.

Evidence Links Eggs to Salmonella Outbreak

The FDA and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) are investigating 98 illnesses across 17 states, with 26 hospitalisations and no reported deaths. Illnesses began between 21 November 2025 and 30 June 2026, while 40 of 44 ill people with available information reported eating eggs before becoming sick.

Investigators identified Midwest Poultry Services as a common egg source through epidemiological and traceback evidence. The case against the producer was strengthened when samples collected at its Texas farms tested positive for Salmonella, with whole-genome sequencing by a third-party laboratory finding that some samples matched the outbreak strain.

However, the investigation remains open because Midwest Poultry Services does not account for all illnesses. The geographic figures also show the unresolved scope of the outbreak: recalled egg distribution has been confirmed in six states, while outbreak cases have been reported across 17 states.

The FDA says the products could also have travelled beyond the confirmed distribution area.

Salmonella infection can cause fever, diarrhoea, nausea, vomiting and abdominal pain. Severe illness can occur, particularly in young children, older adults and people with weakened immune systems or underlying conditions. People who develop severe or persistent symptoms after eating potentially contaminated eggs should seek medical attention.

Consumers, restaurants and retailers that received recalled eggs should discard or return them and clean and sanitise surfaces or containers that may have come into contact with the products.

For shoppers, the immediate step is simple: check the left or right side of any older carton for P-1950 or 0840962, and Julian dates 157–184 before eating the eggs. The FDA's investigation remains ongoing.