Egypt’s food safety regulator says Salmonella egg recall poses no known risk

Egypt’s food safety regulator said on Wednesday that a US recall of eggs linked to a Salmonella outbreak poses no known risk to the local market, while authorities check whether any of the affected products entered the country.

The National Food Safety Authority (NFSA) said in a statement that it is monitoring international food safety alerts and reviewing information on the recalled eggs, including their production batches, distribution channels, and product codes.

The recall involves eggs produced by Midwest Poultry Services in Texas, according to US authorities. The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) said the company recalled eggs produced at Texas farms and distributed between 6 June and 3 July, with sell-by or best-by dates from 20 July to 17 Aug.

The FDA said its investigation identified the recalled shell eggs as a likely source of a Salmonella outbreak that had sickened 98 people across 17 US states as of 24 July, with 26 hospitalisations and no deaths reported.

Egypt Checks Imports

The Egyptian regulator said the detection of contaminated food products in another country does not automatically mean they pose a risk to Egypt. Authorities assess potential risks based on the country of origin, affected batches, product codes, distribution routes, and inspection and laboratory results.

The NFSA said it would take precautionary or regulatory measures if it confirmed that affected eggs had entered the Egyptian market.

Eggs produced and sold in Egypt are subject to regulatory controls covering production and distribution, as well as risk-based inspection, testing, and surveillance, the authority said.

The regulator urged consumers to rely on official information rather than unverified claims circulating on social media.

It advised consumers to buy eggs from trusted sources, store them properly, avoid cross-contamination, and cook them thoroughly.

The NFSA said it would announce any confirmed developments or measures requiring public attention.

The US recall covers about 1.59 million dozen shell eggs, according to the US Centres for Disease Control and Prevention.