Nearly 1.6 Million Dozen Eggs Recalled Over Salmonella Risk at Kroger and Brookshire Stores in Six States

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration said Wednesday that Midwest Poultry Services is voluntarily recalling nearly 1.6 million dozen eggs produced in Texas after environmental testing raised concerns the products could be contaminated with Salmonella Enteritidis, a bacterium that can cause serious foodborne illness.

The recall covers 1,589,577 dozen white shell eggs and brown cage-free shell eggs, sold under multiple retail brands including Kroger, Simple Truth, Brookshire’s, Country Morning and Sunups, across six states in the South and Southwest.

How the contamination was discovered

Midwest Poultry Services said the potential contamination was identified through proactive environmental monitoring and a subsequent root cause analysis at two of its Texas farms. The company has since halted shipments of fresh eggs originating from those specific facilities, though it emphasized that no other Midwest Poultry Services products are affected by the recall.

As of the announcement, no illnesses had been reported in connection with the recalled eggs, according to both the company and the FDA.

Where the recalled eggs were sold

The affected eggs were produced between June 6 and July 3, 2026, and carry sell-by or best-by dates ranging from July 20 through Aug. 17, 2026. They were distributed to foodservice and retail customers across Texas, Oklahoma and Louisiana, and were specifically available at Kroger stores in Texas and Louisiana, as well as Brookshire Grocery stores across a wider footprint spanning Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Louisiana, New Mexico and Mississippi. The eggs were also sold through a number of smaller regional retail outlets.

How to identify recalled cartons

Consumers can identify affected cartons by checking for a specific identifying code printed in date-coding ink on the left or right side of the carton. Only cartons bearing the code P-1950 or 0840962, combined with a Julian Date falling between 157 and 184, are subject to the recall. Midwest Poultry Services has urged anyone who purchased eggs matching those codes not to consume them, and instead to discard the product or return it to the store of purchase for a full refund.

What Salmonella Enteritidis can cause

Salmonella Enteritidis is a bacterium capable of living on both the exterior and interior of eggs, and can cause a foodborne illness known as salmonellosis when contaminated eggs are eaten raw or undercooked. According to health officials, symptoms typically include cramps, diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, chills, fever and, in some cases, headache, generally appearing within 12 to 72 hours after exposure. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has noted separately that salmonella infections can sometimes cause bloody diarrhea, with symptoms developing anywhere from six hours to six days after exposure.

Midwest Poultry Services said the infection poses a heightened risk to certain groups, including young children, elderly individuals and people with weakened immune systems, for whom the illness can occasionally become more serious. In rare instances, the company noted, the infection can spread into the bloodstream, resulting in more severe medical complications.

Response from retailers and the company

Midwest Poultry Services and Kroger did not immediately respond to requests for comment outside of regular business hours following the recall announcement, according to Reuters, while Brookshire Grocery could not be immediately reached. Consumers with questions about the recall have been directed to contact Midwest Poultry Services directly for further information.

A notable disclosure discrepancy

Coverage of the recall from different outlets has varied slightly in describing which states received the affected eggs at the retail level. The FDA’s own statement specified that the recalled eggs were available at Kroger locations in Texas and Louisiana, and Brookshire Grocery stores in states including Oklahoma, Arkansas and Mississippi, while the company’s own recall notice detailed a broader six-state distribution footprint for Brookshire Grocery specifically, spanning Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Louisiana, New Mexico and Mississippi. Consumers in any of those states who purchased shell eggs from the listed retailers are encouraged to check their cartons against the identifying codes regardless of which specific state-by-state breakdown they encounter.

Part of a broader pattern of recent recalls

This week’s recall adds to a string of food safety alerts issued in recent weeks, including a separate recall of an allergy medication over cross-contamination concerns and a recall of children’s organic fruit puree pouches due to a packaging defect. Egg-specific recalls tied to Salmonella contamination have also occurred periodically in past years, including a notable 2024 outbreak linked to Wisconsin-based Milo’s Poultry Farms that sickened more than 60 people across nine states after environmental testing at that company’s facilities also came back positive for the bacterium.

What consumers should do

Health officials advise consumers to check any egg cartons purchased from the listed retailers against the specific product codes and date ranges outlined in the recall notice. Eggs matching the recalled codes should not be eaten and should either be discarded or returned to the place of purchase for a refund. Anyone who has already consumed recalled eggs and is experiencing symptoms consistent with salmonella infection, including persistent fever, diarrhea or vomiting, is advised to contact a healthcare provider, particularly if they fall into a higher-risk group such as young children, older adults or individuals with compromised immune systems.

As of Thursday, Midwest Poultry Services had not disclosed the specific cause of the contamination at its two affected Texas farms, and the FDA has not indicated whether the recall could expand to include additional production sites or brands. The agency, along with the company, is expected to continue monitoring the situation and to issue updates if additional information about the source of the contamination or any related illnesses emerges in the coming days.