FDA elevates 1.6 million-dozen egg recall to highest-risk level

Recall joins broader US foodborne illness outbreaks under investigation

The US Food and Drug Administration on 12 August reclassified the recall of nearly 1.6 million dozen eggs to Class I, its highest-risk designation, which the agency defines as “a situation in which there is a reasonable probability that the use of or exposure to a violative product will cause serious adverse health consequences or death.” The recall covers white and brown cage-free eggs produced by Midwest Poultry Services in Texas.

According to the FDA and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, at least 98 people across 17 states had been sickened in the outbreak linked to the recalled eggs as of 24 July, with 26 people hospitalized. No deaths have been reported. Illness onset dates range from 21 November 2025 through 30 June 2026.

Midwest Poultry Services identified the contamination through “proactive environmental monitoring practices and root cause analysis,” according to an FDA recall report. As of 22 July, the company was no longer distributing fresh eggs from its Texas farms.

The recalled eggs remain a concern because their best-by and sell-by dates extend through 17 August. Midwest Poultry Services has previously warned consumers not to eat the recalled eggs and to return them to the place of purchase for a refund.

The eggs were produced in Texas and shipped to food service and retail outlets in Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, New Mexico, and Oklahoma, as well as across Texas. The affected eggs were available at Kroger stores in Texas and Louisiana and at Brookshire Grocery locations in Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Louisiana, New Mexico, and Mississippi, along with “other smaller retail outlets,” according to the initial recall alert. The specific egg products covered by the recall are listed in the FDA’s enforcement report.

The reclassification comes as the US is experiencing one of the largest recorded foodborne illness outbreaks in its history, The Guardian reports, with confirmed cases of cyclosporiasis linked to lettuce surpassing 13,000. A separate salmonella outbreak involving jalapeños has also prompted a recall of Taylor Farms products sold in 26 states.

On Monday, the FDA announced changes to its rules governing how food manufacturers notify the agency about ingredients brought to market. While the change would close a regulatory loophole, The Guardian reports it falls short of the Trump administration’s promises to dramatically overhaul food regulations.