A federal investigation into Salmonella infections linked to shell eggs is still open, with the FDA reporting the outbreak investigation ongoing as of July 24, 2026. The CDC has recorded 98 cases, 26 hospitalizations, and no deaths across 17 states, and on July 22, 2026, Midwest Poultry Services recalled 1,589,577 dozen shell eggs sold under several grocery brands. For people with gout, this news can raise a different question entirely: are eggs good for gout at all? The answer is a reassuring yes. Eggs are among the lowest-purine animal proteins, and they do not raise uric acid the way meat and seafood can. The recall is a food-safety issue, not a reason to fear eggs. Here is what the purine data say, and how to check your carton.
Eggs and purines: where the data put eggs
The purine story of eggs is about as good as it gets among protein foods. Published purine-content analyses of common foods place eggs at the very low end of the scale, alongside dairy and most vegetables — close to negligible for practical purposes (Kaneko 2014). By contrast, the same tables place most meats, poultry, and seafood in the moderate-to-high range. Cooking method changes nothing here: the purine content of an egg is essentially the same whether it is boiled, scrambled, or poached. In a gout-management context, a single egg contributes very little to the day’s purine budget, which is why eggs appear on low-purine food lists in gout resources worldwide. When you are looking for protein without a purine load, eggs are one of the clearest examples of a food where the protein value and the purine cost do not move together.
Eggs as a gout-friendly protein source
Beyond being low in purines, eggs are a complete protein source that is convenient, affordable, and versatile. The large cohort research that linked meat and seafood intake to higher gout risk did not show that pattern for eggs; the notable protective finding in that same study was for dairy, with high dairy intake associated with a 44% lower gout risk (relative risk 0.56; Choi 2004). Eggs are not flagged as a risk food in that research, and the 2020 American College of Rheumatology guideline does not restrict eggs in gout management (FitzGerald 2020). Practically, eggs can replace higher-purine proteins at meals: a vegetable-and-egg breakfast or an egg salad on whole-grain bread gives you satiety and protein without the purine load of a sausage or bacon. Eggs also support weight management, which matters because obesity is a strong, modifiable gout risk factor (Choi 2004; Dalbeth 2019). For a fuller comparison of protein choices, see our meat guide, the chicken breast page, and the dairy guide for alternative protein sources.
One common hesitation deserves a direct answer: cholesterol. People with gout often have related metabolic conditions, and eggs have historically been scrutinized for their cholesterol content. The current scientific picture is more nuanced — for most people, dietary cholesterol from eggs has a modest effect on blood cholesterol compared with saturated fat and the overall diet pattern, and eggs remain a nutritionally valuable protein source. If you have diabetes, heart disease, or a history of high cholesterol, talk to your healthcare provider about how many eggs fit your personal plan. For the gout question specifically, the answer is unchanged: eggs remain a very low-purine protein, and the cohort research that associated meat and seafood with higher gout risk did not show that pattern for eggs (Choi 2004).
The 2026 Salmonella shell-egg recall: what the data show
Now to the food-safety news, which is really about traceability rather than uric acid. On July 22, 2026, Midwest Poultry Services voluntarily recalled 1,589,577 dozen shell eggs — roughly 19 million eggs — distributed under the Kroger, Simple Truth, Brookshire’s, Cal-Maine, and Country Morning brand names, with distribution reported in Texas, Oklahoma, Louisiana, Arkansas, Mississippi, and New Mexico. The affected cartons carry the plant number P-1950, the lot code 0840962, and Julian dates between 157 and 184. The CDC is coordinating the investigation and has counted 98 confirmed cases, 26 hospitalizations, and no deaths across 17 states. The FDA stated on July 24, 2026, that its investigation remains ongoing. This is the second food-safety story involving eggs in recent weeks — an earlier article covered food-safety considerations for people with gout on colchicine, steroids, or with kidney disease. This update focuses on the recall’s data: what to check, what to discard, and why the outbreak does not change the gout-friendly status of eggs themselves.
What to check and how to stay safe
If you have shell eggs at home, the first step is a quick look at the carton. Check for the plant number and lot code: cartons bearing plant number P-1950, lot 0840962, with Julian dates 157 through 184 should be thrown away or returned to the store for a refund. If a carton matches and you already cooked and ate the eggs, there is no need to panic — thoroughly cooked eggs kill Salmonella, which is the key protective step. The general rule during this outbreak applies to everyone: discard eggs from recalled lots, do not eat raw or undercooked eggs, cook eggs until both the whites and yolks are firm, and wash hands, utensils, and surfaces that touched raw eggs. People at higher risk — older adults, young children, pregnant people, and anyone with a weakened immune system — should be especially careful. Cooking guidance like this is part of the broader picture of how preparation affects food safety and diet, covered in our cooking and purine guide. If you develop diarrhea, fever, or stomach cramps after eating recalled eggs, contact a healthcare provider.
Reading a Julian date is simple: it is the day of the year, so the recalled range of 157 through 184 corresponds to early June through early July 2026. If your carton’s brand and region match the recall but the plant number is hard to read, the cautious approach is to treat the eggs as potentially affected and discard them — the cost of a carton of eggs is far lower than the cost of a Salmonella infection. Stores selling the affected brands have removed recalled lots from shelves, so the cartons to verify are the ones you may already have at home from before the notice was issued; eggs on store shelves now should already come from unaffected lots. Keeping this checklist in place is the practical way to enjoy eggs through the rest of the investigation without worry.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do eggs raise uric acid or cause gout flares?
No. Eggs are among the lowest-purine animal proteins, close to negligible in published purine-content tables (Kaneko 2014), and cooking method does not change their purine content. The cohort research that associated meat and seafood with higher gout risk did not show that pattern for eggs, and gout guidelines do not restrict them (Choi 2004; FitzGerald 2020). For most people with gout, eggs are a sensible everyday protein that can replace higher-purine options like sausage, bacon, or fatty fish at meals.
Is it safe to keep eating eggs during the Salmonella recall?
Yes — if you follow two rules. First, check your cartons: discard or return any egg carton with plant number P-1950, lot 0840962, and Julian dates 157 through 184, which are part of the July 22, 2026 Midwest Poultry Services recall (brands include Kroger, Simple Truth, Brookshire’s, Cal-Maine, and Country Morning). Second, cook eggs thoroughly, until whites and yolks are firm. Eggs from unaffected lots, fully cooked, are safe to eat. The recall is a food-safety matter, not a change to eggs’ nutritional profile for gout.
How should I cook eggs for both gout and food safety?
Cooking method does not affect egg purine content, but it does affect food safety. During the current outbreak, the safest choices are fully cooked preparations: hard- or soft-cooked eggs with set yolks, scrambled eggs cooked through, or omelets with firm centers. Avoid raw or lightly cooked egg dishes such as runny sunny-side-up eggs, raw batter, or homemade mayonnaise made with raw eggs until the outbreak resolves. For gout, avoid adding large amounts of butter, cheese, or salt to eggs — those additions, not the eggs, carry the calories and sodium to watch.
References: Kaneko K, et al. Total purine and purine base content of common foodstuffs for facilitating nutritional therapy for gout and hyperuricemia. Biol Pharm Bull 2014;37(5):709–21. Choi HK, et al. Purine-rich foods, dairy, and protein intake, and the risk of gout in men. N Engl J Med 2004;350(11):1093–103. FitzGerald JD, et al. 2020 American College of Rheumatology guideline for the management of gout. Arthritis Care Res 2020;72(6):744–60. Dalbeth N, et al. Gout. Lancet 2019;393(10188):2335–45. CDC. Salmonella outbreak investigation linked to shell eggs, updated July 24, 2026 (98 cases, 17 states). FDA. Midwest Poultry Services shell egg recall announcement, July 22, 2026.