More than 200,000 pounds of liquid egg products have been pulled nationwide and taken off food service locations and store shelves because of contamination fears. After finding liquid eggs, sold under the popular Egg Beaters and Bob Evans brands, contaminated with a cleaning solution that includes bleach, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) issued the recall on Monday.
A common bleaching and disinfecting ingredient in household bleach, sodium hypochlorite, could be found in the affected products, including liquid egg substitutes. While the agency strongly recommends that consumers not drink the recalled products, FSIS has classified the recall as having a “low risk” to human health even though the discovery was made.
About 212,268 pounds of four particular liquid egg products were recalled. The recalled products have use-by dates of 2025 and 2026 and are marketed in 32-ounce canisters.
The products included in the recall are as follows:
- Egg Beaters Original Liquid Egg Substitute (Use-by: August 10, 2025)
- Egg Beaters Cage-Free Original Liquid Egg Substitute (Use-by: August 9, 2025)
- Egg Beaters Cage-Free Original Frozen Egg Substitute (Use-by: March 7, 2026)
- Bob Evans Better’n Eggs Made with Real Egg Whites (Use-by: August 10, 2025)
Some states, such as Ohio, Texas, Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, Illinois, and Iowa, received the items. The items could have reached outlets throughout the nation, although the recall began in these states. The products were also shipped to food establishments throughout a few states, such as restaurants and cafeterias.
When FSIS was tipped off regarding a potential issue, the contamination had first been detected. There was a determination that some of the liquid eggs were exposed to sodium hypochlorite processing by an inquiry.
There is generally no recommendation to take this bleach compound, even though it is common to use this for disinfection. Fortunately, FSIS announced that there is minimal risk of adverse health effects from the contaminated eggs since small quantities of the bleach solution are not likely to cause harm.
As of right now, there have been no reports of illnesses or negative reactions linked to the impacted products, and the FSIS has categorized the recall as “Class 3,” which indicates that there is no risk to public health.
Customers who previously purchased the recalled liquid eggs are requested to dispose of them or return them to the store. It is recommended that people not consume the affected products even though FSIS has allayed the fears of the public and indicated that there is minimal chance of causing harm. Moreover, food companies providing food service should promptly discontinue utilizing the recalled eggs.
It is advised that you call a healthcare professional if you have already ingested the recalled liquid eggs and are experiencing any subsequent health effects. Consumers can report problems online through the 24-hour system FSIS established, or consumers can call Chuck Miller of Cargill Kitchen Solutions at 1-844-419-1574 with any further questions.
If you have any questions about food safety, you can contact the USDA Meat and Poultry Hotline at 888-674-6854.
Even though contamination with bleach is thought to cause little harm, it is still essential that customers return or destroy any involved commodities. As a reminder of the need for heightened awareness of food safety regulations, FSIS is still looking into the source of the infection.
