Egg Recall Investigation Finds Chicken Manure Piled High
The August inspection report of Quality Egg LLC (doing business as Wright County Egg) provides a clue to how over 500 million eggs could have to be recalled due to possible contamination with Salmonella Enteritidis. Manure was 8 feet high in one area, and a door was "blocked with excessive amounts of manure." Feel like eating an omelet?
Below is part of the investigation report (click here for full report):
You [Quality Egg LLC, d.b.a. Wright County Egg] failed to take steps to ensure there is no introduction or transfer of SE [Salmonella Enteritidis] into or among poultry houses. This was evidenced by the following observations:
Specifically,
a) There was only one entry doorway to access egg laying areas located at every other house. Entrances for houses on Layer I and Layer 2 were located on even numbered houses. Entrances for houses on Layer 3 and Layer 4 were located on odd numbered houses. For example, at Layer 3 and Layer 4—House 1 had a doorway and this same doorway had to be used to gain entrance to House 2.
b) Employees working within the houses did not wear or change protective clothing when moving from house to house. An employee at Layer 6 -House 3 was observed walking out of House 3 with a metal scraper and into House 2 without changing protective clothing and without cleaning/sanitizing equipment between the houses.
c) Un-caged birds (chickens having escaped) were observed in the egg laying operation in contact with the egg laying birds at Layer 3—Houses 9 and 16. The uncaged birds were using the manure, which was approximately 8 feet high, to access the egg laying area.
d) Layer 3 – House 11, the house entrance door to access both House 11 and 12 was blocked with excessive amounts of manure in the manure pits.
