Over 200,000 pounds of liquid egg substitute products have been recalled as the price of the real thing continues to skyrocket across the country.
Michigan-based company Cargill Kitchen Solutions is voluntarily recalling about 212,268 pounds of liquid egg products that may be contaminated with a cleaning solution containing sodium hypochlorite, the United States Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) announced on Friday, March 28.
The recalled products include 32-oz. (2-lb.) cartons of three variations of Egg Beaters’ liquid egg substitute — original, cage-free and frozen — as well the 32-oz. carton of Bob Evans’ Better’n Eggs Made with Real Egg Whites.
The products have varying “use by” dates, but were all produced on March 12 and March 13, have “G1804” inked on the carton, per the FSIS, a USDA agency that works to ensure meat, poultry and egg products are safe for consumption. (See the full list of recalled products here.)
The recalled egg substitute products were shipped to distributor locations in Ohio and Texas, as well as for foodservice use in Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, Illinois and Iowa, the FSIS said, noting that there is also a “possibility that the products were distributed nationwide.”
The recall has been categorized as a Class III recall meaning that following an investigation, FSIS scientists “concluded that use of this product should not cause adverse health consequences, or the risk is negligible,” per the agency.
“Although FSIS does not expect any adverse health effects for Class III recalled products and there have been no confirmed reports of adverse reactions due to consumption of these products, anyone concerned about an illness should contact a healthcare provider,” the agency said.
The FSIS urged anyone who purchased the recalled products not to eat them, but rather return or throw them away. The agency also noted that the potential contamination was discovered thanks to a tip.
A Cargill spokesperson addressed the recall in a statement to PEOPLE, stating in part that the voluntarily recalled products “do not pose a health concern if consumed as noted by the USDA. And no illnesses or injuries associated with this product have been reported.”
“As food and consumer safety is top priority, we have set up a consumer hotline to answer any questions regarding the recall at 1-844-419-1574,” the spokesperson added.
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News of the egg substitute recall comes amid skyrocketing egg prices in the United States, which are due in part to the ongoing bird flu outbreak.
The price of eggs rose 10.4% in February alone, and 15.2% in January, according to data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics’ latest Consumer Price Index. The steep hikes contributed to the nearly 60% price increase since February 2024, thanks to the worsening bird flu outbreak, as well as inflation as a whole.
Earlier this month, President Donald Trump addressed the soaring costs of eggs by sharing an article telling Americans to “shut up about egg prices.”
Read the full article here
