10 Of The Biggest Egg Recalls Of All Time - Tasting Table

"There are several ways Salmonella can spread on farms and in production areas, including infected hens, contaminated feed, dirty surfaces, and the presence of rodents. Since Salmonella can grow both inside and outside the shell, the CDC suggests various ways to protect yourself from illness, including refrigeration, tossing cracked or dirty eggs, avoiding eating raw or undercooked eggs, and thoroughly cleaning any surfaces raw eggs have touched."

"The dates of these 10 big recalls provide an unsettling picture of the egg industry. Eight of these recalls were from fresh eggs, and half of them happened in 2024 and 2025 alone. One reason we're seeing such large-scale recalls is that we now have enormous chicken plants that produce millions of eggs daily, making it easier for outbreaks to spread. Additionally, tests are now more sensitive, and food safety regulations have become stricter since the introduction of the Food Safety Modernization Act in 2011."

"The August Egg Company recall in June 2025 was unfortunately the first of three large egg recalls in 2025. This one got the ball rolling with a retraction of 20.4 million cage-free and organic brown eggs. Like most recalls, it was based on a heightened risk of Salmonella contamination. A variety of potentially infected products had gone out to several grocery store chains in nine states under 10 different brand names, including Clover, First Street, Nulaid, O Organics, Marketside, Raley's, Simple Truth, Sun Harvest, Sunnyside, and Loose."

Ten major egg recalls have occurred since 2010, affecting fresh eggs, powdered eggs, and packaged hard-boiled eggs because of potential Salmonella and Listeria contamination. Salmonella can spread via infected hens, contaminated feed, dirty surfaces, and rodents, and can grow inside and outside eggshells. CDC-recommended protections include refrigeration, discarding cracked or dirty eggs, avoiding raw or undercooked eggs, and thorough cleaning of surfaces contacted by raw eggs. Eight recalls involved fresh eggs, and half occurred in 2024–2025. Large-scale egg plants and more sensitive testing have enlarged and revealed outbreaks, while stricter safety regulations since 2011 have influenced recall patterns.

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