Wright County Egg had 400+ positive Salmonella tests since 2008

New evidence suggests the Salmonella contamination problem at Wright County Egg likely dates back to at least 2008.

The company at the center of the current nationwide Salmonella outbreak on contaminated eggs has unreported positive contamination reports dating back at least that far. According to a USA Today report, the company has received at least 426 positive tests for Salmonella in its eggs and at its farm in Iowa.

Wright County Egg and Hillandale Farms, both Iowa operations, have recalled about 550 million eggs that have sickened at least 1,500 people across the U.S.

Wright County Egg never informed local, state, or federal officials about the contamination tests, showing that regulations galore can’t really stop a food manufacturer who’s bent on ignoring them anyway.

A professor at Iowa State University told USA Today that so many positive Salmonella contamination reports in such a short period of time indicates “environmental contamination is widespread” at the farms. And because the farm keeps getting positive Salmonella tests, it is likely the farm is not finding the root of the problem.

It has been speculated that contaminated feed given to young hens – before they’re able to lay eggs – could be producing generations of contaminated-egg-laying hens.

Despite the evidence showing that Wright County Egg did not report these previous 400-plus positive Salmonella reports, the company stands firm in a statement saying it has complied with investigations into the ongoing recall on its eggs, and that it has followed food safety rules in the past.

Since it appears government health officials will not be able to put a stop to the slipshod operations at Wright County Egg, it’s likely the only damage the company may actually feel is through personal injury lawsuits filed by those who have eaten the contaminated eggs.

Many of the half-billion eggs included in the recall were consumed, and trends suggest that only 1 in 30 people actually file official reports of food poisoning. Most healthy people will only experience temporary and mild health side effects from Salmonella contamination. So far, 1,500 people have stepped forward and been linked to the egg recall with their sickness.

Last year, Peanut Corporation of America ran its operation wayward of the food safety laws it was supposed to be following until its products were implicated in another massive nationwide recall on snack foods.

Because so many people who ate these contaminated products or who purchased them – including several major food manufacturers – filed lawsuits against the company, it quickly folded its operation and filed for bankruptcy.