228 Million Eggs Recalled, What’s on Your Plate?
August 18th, 2010 | 
Author: 
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has seen a four-fold increase in reported cases of Salmonella Enteritidis in the past three months, amounting to more than 800 cases of this potentially deadly disease every month. Add to that the number of sickened individuals who failed to report their illness. While there are many different means of contracting Salmonella, health officials have attributed this massive outbreak to contaminated eggs from a factory farming powerhouse in Iowa. This revelation caused the Iowa producer to recall approximately 228 million eggs late last week.
This is in no way an isolated incident; there were dozens of recalls of animal products, everything from beef stew to chicken pot pie, between January and August of 2010 alone.
The news of the egg recall should come as no surprise to anyone who has seen the unimaginably filthy living conditions that hens in intensive agriculture are forced to endure. With tens of thousands of laying hens crammed into tiny battery cages, contamination is unavoidable. It only makes sense that these eggs would likely infect anyone who ingests them.
An egg that comes into contact with fecal matter or is layed by a sickly hen has an increased potential to be infected by the salmonella virus. In turn, these eggs infect unsuspecting consumers. And if you think you can read the label on the carton to easily avoid a certain production company – think again. These 228 million eggs were sold under 13 different brands across the US. Are consumers really willing to take a blind leap of faith when it comes to their health?
Paul McCartney wisely stated, “If slaughterhouses had glass walls, everyone would be a vegetarian.” When the FDA urges the recall of 228 million eggs after an unprecedented salmonella outbreak, shouldn’t everyone go vegan? If the suffering of billions of animals each year isn’t enough to make people rethink their diet, maybe this alarming outbreak will sway people to stop consuming animal products.
Can you even imagine tens of thousands of animals living on top of one another in a putrid, window-less enclosure? The workers in these facilities wear hazmat-like suits complete with respirators and thick rubber gloves. I don’t know about you, but I’m not inclined to eat anything that comes from a place where you have to wear full body armor just to walk through the door.
Nor am I inclined to eat anyone who suffered as these defenseless animals do. Hens in laying facilities live a truly miserable, frustrated existence. By design, these hell emporiums make it impossible for the chickens to do what comes naturally to them: root in the dirt, spread their wings and peck through the grass for feed. Instead, they live covered in their own feces, often forced to share cages with the bodies of their deceased neighbors.
The insatiable desire for increased production leads factory farms to pump their hens full of hormones and antibiotics to stave off constant sickness. These unnatural conditions can lead to illness in the birds, which increases likelihood of infected eggs. All in all, it’s the perfect storm of misery and disease. Why support this cruel, unhealthy industry? I urge you all to share these undeniable facts with your family, friends and coworkers and urge them to consider their diet choices, and educate themselves about where their food comes from. Let’s help create a healthy world free of suffering and disease for both human and non-human animals.
Posted in Featured News, Veganism | 
Tags: Baby Animals, Chickens, Eggs, Factory Farms, Farm Animals, Food, Health, vegan, Vegetarian
15 Responses to “228 Million Eggs Recalled, What’s on Your Plate?”
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I had never encountered something like it
This chicken and egg situation is out of control, and we need to STOP!
It breaks my heart to think about how poorly animals are treated here in the U.S. and elsewhere. We will get what we deserve, if things don’t change soon.
Donna’s comment is such a truism! Thankfully,I have been “off” eggs since the teen years–many moons ago. They are just unfertilized embryos which are nauseating to look at. Unortunately, many baked goods and other yummies depend on them as a binder. I certainly do not miss them, or meat products, in my diet. (I can only cringe when thinking how unmercifully these marvelous creatures are slaughtered.) There are plenty of other wonderful products which can be consumed on a vegetarian diet–fruits, vegetables, grains, nuts, cheeses, tofu and foods produced from them. The varieties are endless.
we reap what we sow. To allow these animals to suffer in these conditions triggers disease and misery. Until farm animlas are treated more humanely these illnesses will endure, this is the animals revenge against mankind. I will never eat an egg!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Only eat Cage Free eggs. All animals should be allowed to grow up and enjoy a good place to do it.
This is really a problem of the more rich countries,I almost said western,but that’s not the right response.
China and the Asian countries who are progressing monetary wise are all on the same track as the western hemisphere.
Fooling the consumers,so the best thing is to go for the veggy thing.
It’s almost not possible to be sure what you are eating nowadays.
Until “factory farming” is humane, organic rice & beans are just fine.
I live in Switzerland and it’s been AGES since Switzerland has issued animal protection rules that simply forbid this type of caged living for hens. We have the choice to bio eggs from hens living in outdoors conditions (and fed only orgaqnic food and grains) or the ones living with floored conditions (just only a few notches better than the caged hens). So it’s also up to us consumers to choose to buy the more expensive eggs (hurts your wallet) from the hens kept in “outside stabulation” or whatever you call that and thus preserve our health and in the States, the consumers should put pressure on regulator to change the law so that this type of cage-hen becomes ILLEGAL. Start a petition on AVAAZ website to change conditions of poultry and don’t buy these low-priced eggs which can only be bad for your health. Our choice is what makes the difference, we have the end-power!
I follow many of the organizations’ thoughts on animals as I respect them. However, I must confess I am not a vegan. On the egg issue, I wish to state that grandmas have known of the danger of cracked eggs before Chicken Little was only a gleam in Roosters’ eye. The fact that none of the food departments were checking the cracked eggs issue, and are just now going to make regulations shows the level of intelligence of the government. I don’t know if the FDA even knows that 12 eggs makes a dozen after this.
As to the Wild Mustangs what they are doing to them is very distressing and sad. I emailed Mike Huckabee on Fox and asked him to please bring this to the public’s attention. Most Americans are as soft hearted as you. If others encourage Huckabee to get on the case maybe he will announce what’s happening to our icon. jo lewis
love your comment Donna. Your new names are a much better fit. It makes no sense to me why anyone would support this industry, from a human health, animal welfare, or environmental stance.
It’s a shame that so many products we eat are always being recalled. Where is the FDA and why are we not protected. Every few weeks there seems to be another recall. Some people are not doing their jobs properly.
Not only are these toxic eggs sold under a number of different brands but these brands have ridiculous names like “Sunnydale” or “Mountain Dairy,” “Farm Fresh, or ” “Sunshine,” when they should read “Hellhole,” “Dungeondale,” “Auschwitz” and so on.
Herbivores run into lots of trouble when they eat other animals.
More reason to go Vegan. There is no such thing as “humane” farming of animals.
More reason to clean up the act and promote more HUMANE conditions for our little beasts of burdon.