What We Know About the Country Eggs Salmonella Outbreak
CDC and FDA linked 105 Salmonella Enteritidis illnesses and 19 hospitalizations to brown shell eggs distributed by Country Eggs, LLC of Lucerne Valley, California. No deaths were reported. The eggs were sold across 14 states between January and August 2025. Traceback interviews pointed to Asian and Japanese grocery stores in California where the eggs were sold under multiple brand names, although CDC did not publish a per-state case count. CDC declared the outbreak over on November 20, 2025.
How Investigators Traced the Eggs
CDC interviewed sick people about what they ate before getting sick, and many reported buying eggs at Asian and Japanese grocery stores in California. Traceback investigation pointed to Country Eggs, LLC as the supplier. The FDA confirmed the link by collecting environmental samples at the Lucerne Valley facility and finding the outbreak strain of Salmonella Enteritidis on equipment. Whole genome sequencing matched bacteria from the facility to bacteria from sick people.
The Recall and Brand Names
On August 27, 2025, Country Eggs, LLC recalled large brown cage-free “sunshine yolks” or “omega-3 golden yolks” eggs with the printed code CA 7695 and sell-by dates from July 1 through September 18, 2025. Because Country Eggs distributed to multiple retailers, the recall covered eggs sold under the Nijiya Markets, Nagatoshi Produce, and Mizuho brand names. The unusually long illness range (January through August) reflects that the contamination at the facility was ongoing for months before investigators identified the source.
Salmonella Enteritidis and Egg Contamination
Salmonella Enteritidis is the serotype most commonly associated with egg outbreaks because the bacteria can infect a hen’s reproductive tract and contaminate the inside of an egg before the shell forms. Even properly washed eggs from infected hens can carry the bacteria. Cooking eggs to an internal temperature of 160°F kills Salmonella, but raw or runny preparations remain a risk.
Your Legal Rights
If you ate recalled Country Eggs products and developed a laboratory-confirmed Salmonella Enteritidis infection, you may be entitled to compensation for medical expenses, hospitalization costs, lost income, pain and suffering, and other damages. Cases involving hospitalization or long-term complications like reactive arthritis often carry significant value.
Ron Simon & Associates is a food poisoning law firm that has recovered over $850 million for victims nationwide. Our Salmonella lawyers focus exclusively on foodborne illness litigation and are reviewing claims from this outbreak. You pay our law firm nothing unless we recover compensation for you. Contact us for a free consultation at 1-888-335-4901.