A multistate outbreak of listeria monocytogenes infections is linked to hard-boiled eggs, the Centers for Disease Control announced this week. The concern is over bulk, fresh hard-boiled eggs produced by Almark Foods of Gainesville, Georgia.
The CDC says the products are contaminated with listeria and have made people sick. The eggs were packaged in plastic pails for use nationwide by food service operators.
Listeriosis is the foodborne illness caused by the listeria bacteria in foods. Learn more.
Although the products have not been recalled, the CDC warns against selling, serving, or using these eggs to make other food products. Retailers and food service operators should not use hard-boiled eggs produced at the Almark Foods Gainesville, Georgia facility, regardless of the use-by date. Other precautions:
- Don’t use these eggs in other foods like egg salad, deviled eggs or other salads
- Wash and sanitize surfaces that may have come in contact with the eggs
Who is at higher risk for listeria infection?
- Pregnant women
- Newborn babies
- Adults 65 and older
- People with weakened immune systems
The CDC advises that people at higher risk should dispose of any store-bought hard-boiled eggs or products containing them. This does not include eggs that were hard-boiled at home or homemade products containing eggs. Other precautions:
- Wash and sanitize drawers or shelves in refrigerators and freezers where the store-bought egg products were stored.
- Ask the server or a store employee about the source of eggs you are ordering in a restaurant or purchasing in a store. If they use hard-boiled eggs produced by Almark Foods, don’t buy or order the product. If they don’t know where their hard-boiled eggs are from, don’t buy or order the product.
Read more
- Do’s and don’ts during the first trimester of pregnancy
- CDC food safety alert for eggs
- Take our quiz: What do you know about food safety?
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Posted In Healthy Living, News, Nutrition
