As a Salmonella outbreak linked to eggs sickens people nationwide, the CDC issues warnings for nine states, including Illinois
Before you reach for another egg to scramble up for breakfast or mix into a batch of cookies, check the package. Illinois is one of nine states where the August Egg Company has issued a recall due to eggs potentially carrying the bacteria Salmonella.
The August Egg Company on June 6 issued the recall for eggs with sell-by dates ranging from March 4, 2025 to June 19, 2025. Stores in Arizona, California, Illinois, Indiana, Nebraska, New Mexico, Nevada, Washington, and Wyoming all received potentially contaminated eggs.
More than 20 million cage-free, organic, brown chicken eggs (1.7 million dozen) are part of the recall. See the chart below for all impacted brand names and carton UPCs.
So far, Salmonella from the eggs has sickened 79 people (primarily in California), causing diarrhea and vomiting, fever, and stomach cramps within six hours to six days of exposure. The illness runs its course in about a week, and 21 people have been hospitalized due to the severity of their symptoms. Children under age 5, adults over age 65, people who are pregnant, and anyone with a weakened immune system have the greatest risk of severe illness.
“If you have any of these recalled products in your home or business, throw them out or return them to the store,” the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) advises. Additionally, wash surfaces that may have touched recalled eggs, and call your doctor if you experience severe symptoms of Salmonella.
In a statement, the August Egg Company wrote that after its processing plant identified the contamination, workers “immediately began diverting all eggs from the plant to an egg-breaking facility, which pasteurizes the eggs and kills any pathogens.”
Salmonella is the most frequently reported cause of foodborne illness, according to the Department of Agriculture. The bacteria infects about 1.35 million people annually in the U.S.
An award-winning journalist, Katie has written for Chicago Health since 2016 and currently serves as Editor-in-Chief.
