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Consumers are being urged to check their refrigerators after a major recall involving nearly 1.6 million dozen shell eggs due to the potential presence of Salmonella Enteritidis, a bacterium that can cause serious foodborne illness.

The voluntary recall, announced by Midwest Poultry Services, L.P., affects white shell eggs and brown cage-free eggs produced at two Texas farms and distributed between June 6 and July 3, 2026. According to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the eggs were sold through grocery stores and foodservice distributors in Texas, Louisiana, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Mississippi, and New Mexico.

What Brands Are Included?

The recalled eggs were sold under several familiar brand names, including:

• Kroger
• Simple Truth
• Brookshire’s
• Country Morning
• Sunups

Not every carton under these brands is affected. Consumers should look for:

• Plant Code: P-1950 or 0840962
• Julian Dates: 157 through 184
• Best By/Sell By Dates: July 20, 2026, through August 17, 2026

Why the Recall Matters

Salmonella can cause symptoms including:

• Diarrhea
• Fever
• Stomach cramps
• Nausea
• Vomiting

Symptoms typically begin 12 to 72 hours after eating contaminated food and usually last four to seven days. While many healthy adults recover without treatment, infections can become severe in young children, older adults, pregnant women, and people with weakened immune systems.

The FDA and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) are investigating a multistate outbreak involving 98 confirmed illnesses across 17 states, resulting in 26 hospitalizations. No deaths have been reported. Investigators say the recalled eggs are linked to part of the outbreak, although they do not account for every reported illness.

What Should You Do?

If you have eggs matching the recalled codes:

• Do not eat them.
• Return them to the store for a refund or dispose of them safely.
• Wash your hands thoroughly after handling the carton.
• Clean and sanitize any refrigerator shelves, containers, or kitchen surfaces the eggs may have touched.

If you have already eaten the eggs and develop symptoms of Salmonella infection, contact your healthcare provider, especially if symptoms are severe or persist.

Are Arizona Consumers Affected?

The recalled products were officially distributed in six states, and Arizona is not listed among the primary distribution states. However, because food products can move through wholesalers, travelers, or secondary retailers, Arizona consumers who recently purchased eggs while traveling—or who received eggs from family or friends in affected states—should still check the carton codes.

The Bottom Line

Food recalls are an important part of protecting public health. Taking a few moments to inspect the eggs in your refrigerator could help prevent a serious illness. If your carton matches the recalled plant codes and date range, don’t take the risk—return it or throw it away.

STM Daily News will continue to monitor this developing story and provide updates as additional information becomes available.

Related Resources

• FDA Recalls, Market Withdrawals & Safety Alerts
• FDA Foodborne Illness Outbreak Investigations
• CDC: Salmonella Information
• FoodSafety.gov Consumer Resources

How Invasive Pests Spread and How You Can Help Stop Them

(Feature Impact) Invasive pests can hide in places you’d never expect, and once they spread, they can destroy the trees, plants and food people rely on every day. These pests pose a serious threat to agriculture, forests, ecosystems and the food supply. Many invasive species cannot travel far on their own; instead people unknowingly move them from place to place.

According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, invasive pests hitchhike on everyday items such as plants, produce, firewood, vehicles and outdoor equipment. That makes many common activities – from traveling and online shopping to camping and gardening – potential “pathways” for invasive pests to move and reach new areas. Understanding these pathways is the first step to stopping pests before they spread.

Traveling Abroad

When you travel abroad and return from another country, the agricultural items you bring back can introduce new invasive pests into the U.S. and threaten crops or trees that have no natural defenses against them. Even harmless-looking fruit, seed packets or souvenirs made with plant materials can carry pests such as fruit flies and diseases like citrus canker. That’s why it’s critical travelers declare food, plants and other agricultural products when entering the country from abroad.

Shopping Online

Just because you can order seeds and plants from sellers around the world, it doesn’t mean those items are legal or safe to import. In fact, some invasive snails and plant diseases have entered the U.S. this way. Many agricultural products from overseas require permits, inspections or special paperwork before they can enter the country. Buyers should check where an item ships from, learn the import requirements before purchasing and make sure sellers follow all labeling and shipping rules.

Partaking in Outdoor Activities

When you spend time outdoors hiking, camping, hunting or fishing, you could inadvertently spread invasive species. For example, transporting firewood from one location to another can spread tree-killing insects, such as the emerald ash borer, which can live inside the wood and emerge later in a new area. The safest choice is to buy or use firewood where you burn it. Additionally, clean all outdoor clothing, gear, equipment and vehicles before leaving an area.

Moving Outdoor Equipment

When you move to a new home, your move can create another opportunity for invasive insects to travel. Before relocating patio furniture, grills, trailers or lawn equipment, inspect and clean them carefully. Look for insects, plant debris and egg masses like spotted lanternfly egg masses, which can blend into outdoor surfaces and look like smears of mud or clumps of dirt. A few minutes of checking and cleaning before you move can help prevent pests from invading your new neighborhood.

Invasive pests cost the U.S. billions of dollars every year and damage forests, farms, parks and backyards. Stopping invasive pests starts with simple steps anyone can take: checking what you pack, clean, move and buy. When everyone does their part, fewer pests spread and communities stay healthier and more resilient.

Visit aphis.usda.gov/hungrypests to learn more about how invasive pests spread and the simple steps you can take to help stop them and protect America’s agriculture and natural resources.

Invasive Pest Protection Checklist

• Declare all food, plants and agricultural items when returning from another country.
• When ordering items online, check where the products ship from and verify U.S. import rules before buying.
• If you’re camping, buy firewood where you plan to burn it. Clean clothing, gear and vehicles before leaving.
• Before moving to a new home, inspect outdoor furniture and equipment, looking closely for egg masses or insects.

Content courtesy of USDA.

SOURCE:

United States Department of Agriculture

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The Evolution of Retail Technology: Connecting Consumers to Valuable Product Information

(Feature Impact) For more than 50 years, traditional universal product codes (UPCs), better known as barcodes, have automated checkout, powered retail and kept the world’s products moving one scan at a time.

Watch this video to learn more

Now it’s time for the next chapter. Brands and retailers are transitioning to QR codes powered by GS1 to enhance everyday shopping experiences, unlock more information and empower customers to make informed purchase decisions with a simple smartphone scan – while still going “beep” at the register.

For decades, UPC barcodes simply provided the price of an item, but today’s shoppers are looking for more information. This retail-labeling transformation will include advanced QR codes that unlock information about ingredients, allergens, freshness, product origin, sustainability details, recipes and more. Retailers have set a 2027 target to accept these QR codes at checkout, which can help them better operate and serve their customers in numerous ways, such as preventing recalled products from being sold.

They can also help reduce food waste, save consumers money and help people make smarter purchases by encouraging shoppers to have a richer experience with the products they’re putting in their carts.

Visit gs1us.org/smarter to discover more about the future of shopping and checkout.

SOURCE:

GS1 US

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