FORT LEE, Va. –
As of Aug. 19, military commissaries are not affected by the massive Wright County Egg voluntary recall, Defense Commissary Agency food safety officials reported.
Although the commissaries may carry some of the brands mentioned in the Aug. 13 recall action, the eggs sold in military stores are not part of those linked to salmonella contamination, officials said.
Commissary customers can check the status of their eggs at home by looking for the Julian date, which runs from one to 365, and the plant code stamped on the end of each egg carton. The plant number begins with the letter P, followed by a number. The Julian date follows the plant number. Example: P-1946 223.
The initial Wright County Egg recall announcement involved more than 228 million shell eggs. On Aug. 18, the recall expanded to more than 380 million eggs sold in cartons of six, 12 or 18.
The Aug. 13 recall applied to the following, plant codes and Julian dates plant numbers: 1026, 1413 and 1946; Julian dates of 136 to 225.
The Aug. 18 recall of cartons of six, 12 and 18 applied to the following, plant codes and Julian dates: plant numbers 1720 and 1942; Julian dates of 136 to 229.
To date, the recalled eggs are known to have been distributed to stores nationwide, according to the Food and Drug Administration's recall alert sent Aug. 13. Illnesses relating to the shell eggs have been confirmed, and trace-back investigations are ongoing, the FDA statement said.
The salmonella organism can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections in young children, frail or elderly people, and others with weakened immune systems.
Healthy people infected with salmonella often experience fever, diarrhea, nausea, vomiting and abdominal pain.
In rare circumstances, infection with salmonella can result in the organism getting into the bloodstream and producing more severe illnesses such as arterial infections, endocarditis or arthritis. (AFNS)