By now you know we're in the middle of a national Salmonella outbreak. These national outbreaks can be scary. But a lot more outbreaks happen than you might think.
The CDC says Salmonella poisoning is the second most common cause of food poisoning in the U.S. It's right behind Norovirus, the stomach bug. More than a million people a year are affected and 450 die from it. In fact, there have already been 6 multi-state outbreaks this year.
So why don't you hear more about it? There are two main reasons. The outbreaks tend to be more local instead of national. The second reason? A lot of people don't even realize they have it. Many people chalk up their symptoms to a stomach bug but they actually have salmonella poisoning. However, those symptoms are much more severe for kids, seniors, and those with weakened immune systems.
Here's what you need to know to avoid becoming the next case. You've probably always been told to fully cook your eggs to avoid salmonella poisoning. But when it comes to these tainted eggs, you actually cannot cook away the salmonella inside of them. So you want to check your cartons.
You're looking for a couple of different numbers. First, the plant number. Look for P-1065 or P-1359D. If you don't see either number, you're in the clear. If you do look for the date code. If you saw P-1065, look for a date or lot code between 011-102. If it's in that range, throw it out. If you had P-1359D look for a date or lot code of 048A or 049A and look for a "best by" date of April 2 or 3. If you find all of that, throw that out as well. It's contaminated.