Researchers at Penn State’s College of Agricultural Sciences have said they are developing a method to more accurately identify salmonella strains – which could help scientists identify the source of an outbreak sooner.
Salmonella enteriditis was behind the egg recall that led to the withdrawal of about 550m eggs from the market, with 380m recalled by Iowa-based Wright County Egg, and a further 170m pulled from the market after the strain was also linked to Hillandale Farms – another Iowa facility – a week later. However, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), about 1,300 reported illnesses were likely to be associated with the outbreak before the recalls began.
In a conference call with reporters last month, acting director of the CDC’s division of foodborne, waterborne and environmental diseases Dr. Christopher Braden said it was hard to say exactly how many illnesses were involved because of the particular salmonella strain associated with the outbreak.
Penn State researchers are hoping to prevent this situation.
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