Egg recall expanded

-Los Angeles County Public Health Department
----------------------

UPDATE 8/19/10: Recall of Potentially Tainted Eggs Expanded

Wright County Egg of Galt, Iowa yesterday expanded its recall of eggs
that are potentially tainted with Salmonella enteritidis. The recall now
applies to 10 additional states, bringing the total number of states
impacted to 18 nationwide. The Los Angeles County Department of Public
Health urges residents to double-check the eggs in their refrigerators
to ensure that they do not have any of the affected product.

To date, as many as 60 people in Los Angeles County have been confirmed
to have the Salmonella strain associated with the recalled eggs.

The eggs affected by the expanded recall are packaged under the
following brand names: Albertsons, Farm Fresh, James Farms, Glenview,
Mountain Dairy, Ralphs, Boomsma, Lund, Kemps and Pacific Coast. Eggs are
packed in varying sizes of cartons (6-egg cartons, dozen egg cartons,
18-egg cartons, and loose eggs for institutional use and repackaging)
with Julian dates ranging from 136 to 229 and plant numbers 1720 and
1942.

Eggs that were already recalled included those packaged under the
following brand names: Lucerne, Albertson, Mountain Dairy, Ralph's,
Boomsma's, Sunshine, Hillandale, Trafficanda, Farm Fresh, Shoreland,
Lund, Dutch Farms and Kemps. Eggs are packed in varying sizes of cartons
(6-egg cartons, dozen egg cartons, 18-egg cartons, and loose eggs for
institutional use and repackaging) with Julian dates ranging from 136 to
225 and plant numbers 1026, 1413 and 1946.

Dates and codes can be found stamped on the end of the egg carton or
printed on the case label. The plant number begins with the letter P and
then the number. The Julian date follows the plant number, for example:
P-1720 223.

Please note that this is a developing investigation. Refer to the U.S.
Food and Drug Administration's recall webpage for current updates and
further information, at http://www.fda.gov/Safety/Recalls.


For Immediate Release:
August 17, 2010

Foods Potentially Tainted with Salmonella Sicken LAC Residents
In unrelated incidents, eggs and frozen fruit pulp recalled

LOS ANGELES - The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health today
cautioned residents to be aware of two nationwide food recalls of
products linked to Salmonella outbreaks that have sickened hundreds in
California, including dozens of people in Los Angeles County. The
recalled products include certain eggs from Wright County Egg of Galt,
Iowa; and frozen mamey pulp from COCO, S.A. of Guatemala.


"Public Health is coordinating with state and federal agencies on
this issue and has reached out to food distributors and retailers
throughout the county to ensure that these product are removed from
vendors' shelves." said Jonathan E. Fielding, MD, MPH, Director of
Public Health and Health Officer.

Eggs

The recalled eggs have been linked to a Salmonella Enteriditis outbreak
that has sickened 266 in California so far, 43 of them in Los Angeles
County. No deaths have been attributed to the product in Los Angeles
County.

Most people infected with Salmonella Enteriditis develop diarrhea,
fever, and abdominal cramps between 12 and 72 hours after infection. The
illness typically lasts between four and seven days. However, infants,
elderly individuals and those with weakened immune systems are more
likely to develop severe illness. Severe infections can be fatal if left
untreated by antibiotics.

This recall includes eggs packaged under the following brand names:
Lucerne, Albertson, Mountain Dairy, Ralph's, Boomsma's, Sunshine,
Hillandale, Trafficanda, Farm Fresh, Shoreland, Lund, Dutch Farms and
Kemps. Eggs are packed in varying sizes of cartons (6-egg cartons, dozen
egg cartons, 18-egg cartons) with Julian dates ranging from 136 to 225
and plant numbers 1026, 1413 and 1946.

Dates and codes can be found stamped on the end of the egg carton. The
plant number begins with the letter P and then the number. The Julian
date follows the plant number, for example: P-1946 223. Consumers are
advised by Wright County Egg to return the eggs in the original carton
to the store where they were purchased for a full refund.

Also, please remember that the Egg Safety Center and the Food and Drug
Administration recommend that eggs should be fully cooked until both the
yolks and the whites are firm, and consumers should not eat foods that
may contain raw or undercooked eggs. For more information on proper
handling and preparation of eggs and answers to other frequently asked
questions, visit www.eggsafety.org.

Frozen Mamey Pulp

Mamey, also called "zapote" or "sapote," is a tropical fruit
grown primarily in Central and South America. It is often added to
milkshakes, jellies, or other foods or beverages and consumed as a shake
or a smoothie. Frozen mamey fruit pulp can be purchased in grocery
stores throughout the U.S., and packages have a two- to three-year shelf
life.

The affected product comes in a 14-ounce plastic package. All
production lot codes are being recalled. The UPC is 041331090803.
Consumers who have purchased Goya brand Mamey Pulp are urged to discard
the product and contact Goya Foods, Inc.'s Consumer Affairs Department
Monday through Friday between the hours of 8 am to 5 pm, Eastern
Daylight Time at 1-800-275-4692.

The mamey pulp has been linked to a Salmonella Typhi outbreak that has
sickened five people in California, two of them in LA County. No deaths
have been attributed to this product.

Typhoid fever, or enteric fever, is an acute systemic disease caused by
the Salmonella Typhi. Transmission may occur person-to-person or by
ingestion of food or water contaminated by the urine or feces of acute
cases or carriers. Persons with typhoid fever usually have prolonged
fever as high as 103° to 104° F (39° to 40° C). They may also feel weak,
or have stomach pains, headache, or loss of appetite. In some cases,
patients have a rash of flat, rose-colored spots. The only way to know
for sure if an illness is typhoid fever is to have samples of stool or
blood tested for the presence of S. typhi. Only humans and other
primates can become infected with S. typhi.

Ill persons are given an antibiotic to treat the disease. Persons
given antibiotics usually begin to feel better within two to three days,
and deaths rarely occur. However, persons who do not get treatment may
continue to have fever for weeks or months, and as many as 20 percent
may die from complications of the infection. Hand washing after using
the toilet, before preparing or serving food, and before and after
caring for others is important in preventing the spread of typhoid.
Vaccines are available to those at high risk or travelers.

"If you have purchased eggs or mamey pulp recently, please check your
refrigerator and freezer to make sure that you do not have any of the
potentially contaminated product," Dr. Fielding said.

The Department of Public Health is committed to protecting and
improving the health of the nearly 10 million residents of Los Angeles
County. Through a variety of programs, community partnerships and
services, Public Health oversees environmental health, disease control,
and community and family health. Public Health comprises more than 4,000
employees and has an annual budget exceeding $750 million. To learn more
about Public Health and the work we do, please visit
http://www.publichealth.lacounty.gov, visit our YouTube channel at
http://www.youtube.com/lapublichealth, or follow us on Twitter:
LAPublicHealth.

# # #