About the Recalled Product
The recalled product is Vega Farms brand brown in-shell eggs, sold under the “Vega Farms Cage Free Fresh Brown Eggs” label bearing handler code 2136 and a sell-by date of December 22, 2025, or earlier (Julian date 328 or prior). The recall covers 1-dozen cartons, 30-egg flats, and 15-dozen foodservice cases distributed to restaurants, grocery stores, co-ops, and farmers markets in Northern California.
Latest Updates
Vega Farms issued a voluntary recall on December 5, 2025, after CDPH and the California Department of Food and Agriculture identified the farm as the source of a Salmonella Enteritidis outbreak through environmental and egg sampling [1]. By December 12, 2025, CDPH had confirmed 63 illnesses and 13 hospitalizations among California residents, with whole genome sequencing linking at least one environmental sample from the Vega Farms facility to the outbreak strain [2]. A company representative confirmed to local media that the contamination originated in the farm’s processing equipment rather than its laying flock, and that the recall covered approximately 1,515 dozen eggs [3].
Processing Equipment as the Contamination Source
Vega Farms identified its egg processing equipment — not the hens themselves — as the point at which Salmonella entered the product. Egg processing equipment that is not adequately cleaned and sanitized can harbor Salmonella in biofilms that persist across production runs and contaminate otherwise clean eggs as they move through washing, grading, and packaging.
A consumer purchasing Vega Farms cage-free eggs from a Sacramento grocery store, co-op, or farmers market had no way of knowing that processing equipment at the farm’s facility had tested positive for Salmonella — or that whole genome sequencing would later match that environmental strain to individuals who had already become ill.
Whole Genome Sequencing Confirms the Link
CDPH confirmed through whole genome sequencing that the Salmonella Enteritidis strain recovered from at least one Vega Farms environmental sample was genetically matched to the outbreak strain found in sick individuals. Whole genome sequencing is the gold standard for epidemiological linkage in foodborne outbreak investigations — its use here means the connection between Vega Farms’ processing environment and the 63 confirmed illnesses is not circumstantial.
The confirmation came through coordinated investigation by CDPH, the California Department of Food and Agriculture, and local health jurisdictions — a multi-agency response that reflects the seriousness of the outbreak’s scope and the speed with which egg-associated Salmonella outbreaks can spread through a regional distribution network.
Premium Marketing Claims on a Contaminated Product
Vega Farms markets its eggs under a premium positioning: “no antibiotics, no additives, no hormones,” “all natural,” “humanely raised,” and “always fresh.” Consumers purchasing premium cage-free eggs — typically at higher price points and with a heightened expectation of quality — have no independent means of verifying whether the processing environment that handled those eggs met the sanitation standards necessary to prevent Salmonella contamination.
A company representative noted this was the first recall in Vega Farms’ 40-year history, but the outbreak’s scale — 63 confirmed illnesses and 13 hospitalizations — reflects the consequence of a processing environment contamination event that was not identified before distribution reached restaurants, grocery stores, and farmers markets across Northern California.
Reported Illnesses
As of December 12, 2025, CDPH had confirmed 63 Salmonella-related illnesses among California residents linked to the Vega Farms outbreak, with 13 hospitalizations and no deaths reported. Given Salmonella’s incubation period of six hours to six days and the product’s distribution through both retail and foodservice channels, additional cases may have occurred without being connected to this specific recall.
Can I File a Lawsuit?
If you developed a confirmed Salmonella infection after consuming Vega Farms brown in-shell eggs with handler code 2136 and a sell-by date of December 22, 2025, or earlier, you may have a product liability claim against Vega Farms, Inc. Contact an attorney promptly, as state filing deadlines apply.
What to Do Now
Do not eat any Vega Farms brown in-shell eggs bearing handler code 2136 with a sell-by date of 12-22-25 or earlier — discard the eggs in a sealed bag or return them to the place of purchase for a full refund. Contact Vega Farms at (530) 400-9505 (9 a.m.–4 p.m.) with questions, or call the CDPH Complaint Hotline at (800) 495-3232 to report recalled product still available for sale.
References
1. https://www.cdph.ca.gov/Programs/OPA/Pages/NR25-025.aspx
2. https://newsweek.com/egg-recall-update-60-ill-salmonella-outbreak-california-11209289
3. https://www.greenmatters.com/pn/popular-california-farm-recalls-eggs-due-to-possible-salmonella-contamination