Midwest Poultry Services, L.P. has recalled more than 1,589,577 dozen shell eggs tied to a salmonella outbreak that has sickened 98 people across six states since November. Shoppers who bought white or brown cage-free eggs at Kroger, Brookshire, and other retailers in Texas and Louisiana can return the products for a full refund. The recalled eggs were produced at a Texas facility between June 6 and July 3, 2026, and carry sell-by dates ranging from July 20 to August 17, 2026, meaning many cartons are sitting in home refrigerators right now.
Why this salmonella egg recall demands immediate attention
The scale of this recall is significant: 1,589,577 dozen eggs, both white shell and brown cage-free varieties, left a single Texas production facility over roughly four weeks. Federal traceback work identified Midwest Poultry Services as a common egg source in the ongoing Salmonella Enteritidis outbreak. But the same investigation found that the company does not account for all illnesses, which raises a pointed question: are other egg lots from the same facility, or from other suppliers entirely, still circulating undetected through retail channels?
The sell-by window stretching to August 17 means affected cartons could remain in kitchens for weeks. Consumers who purchased eggs at Kroger locations in Texas and Louisiana, or at Brookshire and other outlets, should check for plant code P-1950 or 08409 printed on the carton. Those codes identify the Texas facility at the center of this recall. Anyone holding matching eggs can return them to the store for a refund or discard them immediately.
FDA traceback findings and the 98-illness count
The FDA’s recall notice specifies the production dates as June 6 through July 3, 2026. The agency’s traceback analysis connected ill consumers to eggs from Midwest Poultry Services through purchase records and retail distribution data. Affected stores include Kroger locations in Texas and Louisiana, along with Brookshire and additional outlets across multiple states. The outbreak has sickened 98 people since November, according to federal officials, with cases spanning six states.
Salmonella Enteritidis infections typically cause diarrhea, fever, and abdominal cramps. Symptoms can appear within 12 to 72 hours of eating contaminated food and generally last four to seven days. Young children, older adults, and people with weakened immune systems face the greatest risk of severe illness or hospitalization. The CDC has advised consumers to check refrigerators and either return or throw away any eggs matching the recalled plant codes and date ranges.
Gaps in the traceback and what shoppers should watch for next
One of the most consequential details in the federal investigation is that the recalled eggs explain only part of the outbreak. The FDA’s outbreak team reports that while Midwest Poultry Services is a key supplier in many case histories, some sick patients did not buy eggs linked to the Texas plant codes or the June–July production window. That discrepancy suggests either additional contaminated lots from the same operation, or a separate but overlapping source, may be involved.
Investigators often start with grocery loyalty card records, shopper receipts, and distributor invoices to map where suspect food traveled. In this case, those records pointed repeatedly to the Texas facility, prompting the company to pull more than 1.5 million dozen eggs from the market. Yet the remaining unexplained illnesses mean the traceback is still active. Regulators are continuing to interview newly identified patients and to sample eggs and environmental surfaces along the supply chain.
For shoppers, the uncertainty underscores why it is critical to go beyond brand names and read the fine print on cartons. Even if a store is not on the initial recall list, eggs can be redistributed between locations or sold under different private labels. Consumers should look for the plant codes and the affected sell-by dates rather than relying solely on store signage or social media posts summarizing the recall.
How this outbreak compares and what health officials recommend
Federal health officials note that nearly 100 illnesses tied to this outbreak have been reported over several months, a pattern that aligns with prior multi-state egg-related salmonella events. According to a CDC update, many patients reported eating eggs at home or in restaurants in the week before they became sick, reinforcing the central role of shell eggs in this investigation.
Health agencies are not advising a blanket avoidance of all eggs, but they are urging stricter food safety practices. That starts with discarding or returning any cartons that match the recalled plant codes or date ranges. Beyond the specific recall, consumers can reduce risk by cooking eggs until both yolks and whites are firm, avoiding recipes that use raw or undercooked eggs, and keeping eggs refrigerated at or below 40 degrees Fahrenheit.
People who develop symptoms consistent with salmonella infection should contact a healthcare provider, especially if they are in a higher-risk group or experience high fever, bloody diarrhea, or signs of dehydration. Clinicians are encouraged to obtain stool cultures in suspected cases, which can help public health officials link new illnesses to the ongoing outbreak and refine the traceback.
What comes next in the investigation
As the sell-by dates on recalled cartons approach, the immediate priority is to get contaminated eggs out of circulation before more people get sick. The FDA’s outbreak summary indicates that additional regulatory actions, including on-site inspections and environmental testing at implicated facilities, are underway.
Future steps could include expanding the recall if new plant codes or production dates are linked to illnesses, or narrowing the focus if testing identifies a specific contamination point within the facility. In the meantime, shoppers in Texas, Louisiana, and other states where the eggs were distributed should treat this recall as an active concern, not a past event. Checking a carton takes only a moment, but it can prevent a serious, and entirely avoidable, foodborne illness.
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