FDA raises Costco egg recall to highest alert amid salmonella concerns

The Food and Drug Administration has upgraded the alert level for Costco‘s recent egg recall over salmonella fears.

The FDA revealed Monday that the recall is now “class I,” meaning that this is a “situation where there is a reasonable likelihood that the use of or exposure to an infringing product will cause serious health consequences or death.”

This is the most serious level of risk that an FDA recall can be, with the classification change coming one month after 10,800 retail units of organic egg was recalled from Costcos in the southern United States.

According to FDAthe eggs were in 24-count cartons with the Kirkland Signature brand. The product was recalled by Handsome Brook Farms in New York because “these eggs have the potential to be contaminated with Salmonella.”

Salmonella is a type of bacteria found in the intestines of animals and humans and can cause food poisoning. The highest-risk foods tend to be animal products, such as raw meat, unpasteurized milk, undercooked poultry and eggs, but salmonella can also contaminate fruits and vegetables through fertilizers used on crops.

The cartons included in Handsome Brook Farms’ recall were sold at 25 Costco stores in Alabama, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina and Tennessee as of November 22. Devices with a Julian code of 327 and a “use by” date of January 5, 2025 are affected by the recall.

The FDA said in the press release that the recall was launched after officials at Handsome Brook determined that eggs not intended for delivery to markets had been accidentally packaged and distributed to retailers.

No known diseases are associated with the affected products. Consumers in possession of one of the affected cartons should return the eggs to their local Costco store to receive a full refund or dispose of the eggs.

There has been an unexplained increase in food recalls over the past year. Earlier this month, Frito-Lay recalled a “limited number” of Lay’s Classic Potato Chips because they “may contain black milk,” which Frito-Lay learned “after being alerted through a consumer contact.”

This poses a risk of a “severe or life-threatening allergic reaction” to customers who have an “allergy or severe sensitivity to milk.”

The The FDA also recently issued a class I remember for dog treats sold by Carolina Prime Pet, Inc., both online and in stores in 19 states. About 400 bags of dog treats were recalled on November 22 due to potential salmonella contamination.

In September, Lactaid Milk was recalled in 27 states due to concerns about possible allergen contamination. That same month, a popular macaroni and cheese brand, Reser’s Fine Foods, recalled two products sold across five states due to concerns about potential bacterial contamination.