Eggs from Sainsbury’s, Aldi and Asda are subject to Food Standards Agency (FSA) advice that they may contain salmonella bacteria.
While it only affects a small batch of eggs sold in the three supermarkets, consumers are being advised to cook eggs properly or contact the supermarkets from which they were bought. Pregnant women, infants, the elderly and those with weakened immune systems are particularly vulnerable to salmonella.
You can read the full advisory notice on the FSA website.
Which eggs are affected?
Eggs with the batch number 1UK15270 are being recalled. Even if you have disposed of the outer packaging of your eggs, the batch number is printed on each individual egg so you can check whether yours have been affected.
An example image of an egg from this batch can be seen below:
Affected eggs were only sold in specific stores in England and Wales, and only a small number of the eggs in the batch were found to have salmonella on their shells.
The complete list of products are found below.
Sainsbury’s eggs:
Sainsbury’s says the following packs were only sold in London and the South of England. The full list of stores can be found here.
| Product | Pack size | Best before date |
|---|---|---|
| Medium Free Range Eggs by Sainsbury’s | 6 |
30 October 2020 05 November 2020 |
| Large Free Range Eggs by Sainsbury’s | 6 |
30 October 2020 05 November 2020 |
| Very Large Free Range Eggs by Sainsbury’s | 6 |
30 October 2020 01 November 2020 05 November 2020 |
| Medium Free Range Eggs by Sainsbury’s | 12 |
01 November 2020 05 November 2020 |
| Large Free Range Eggs by Sainsbury’s | 12 |
30 October 2020 01 November 2020 04 November 2020 05 November 2020 |
| Mixed Size Free Range Eggs by Sainsbury’s | 15 | 30 October 2020 |
| Basics Mixed Size Barn Eggs | 15 | 01 November 2020 |
| J James Mixed Size Free Range Eggs | 10 |
01 November 2020 05 November 2020 |
Aldi eggs
Aldi has not specified which stores the eggs were sold in.
| Product | Pack size | Best before date |
|---|---|---|
| Merevale Medium Free Range Eggs | 6 | 04 November 2020 |
Asda eggs
Aldi has not specified which stores the eggs were sold in.
| Product | Pack size | Best before date |
|---|---|---|
| Asda Large Free Range Eggs | 12 | 30 October 2020 |
What should I do?
First and foremost, the risk in this particular instance is low as only a small number of eggs from this batch were affected, according to the FSA.
However, if you think you may have eaten one of the affected eggs, you should look for the following symptoms of salmonella food poisoning:
- Fever
- Diarrhoea
- Abdominal cramps
- Vomiting
Symptoms can start from a few hours after consuming food that is affected by salmonella.
If you suspect you may have food poisoning, you should contact your GP. NHS guidance says food poisoning is rarely serious and can be treated at home. It’s important to remain hydrated if you are vomiting or have diarrhoea.
Under the Consumer Rights Act, you have the right to a refund if food you have purchased or eaten is subject to a recall. This egg safety notice is not a recall, however, so your rights are not automatically granted.
Sainsbury’s and Aldi say customers can return eggs for a full refund, while the Asda websites does not state whether customers can return the eggs for a refund. We have contacted Asda and will update this news story if they respond.
For more on your rights, read our guide to food recalls, and to product recalls in general.
How to safely handle and cook eggs
You do not need to throw away the eggs if you haven’t consumed them yet. The FSA says that the affected eggs are safe to eat if cooked thoroughly. This means you should cook the eggs until the whites and yolks are no longer runny. This, the FSA says, eliminates the salmonella bacteria.
More generally, according to the FSA you should follow this best practice when storing and handling all eggs:
- Store eggs in the fridge
- Use eggs by their best before date
- Clean surfaces and equipment after using them with eggs
- Wash hands after handling eggs, their packaging and shells
source https://www.which.co.uk/news/2020/10/food-safety-notice-eggs-removed-from-supermarkets-over-salmonella-concerns/