More egg recalls could be ahead, FDA chief says

CNN Wire Staff

[cnn-photo-caption image=http://i2.cdn.turner.com/cnn/2010/HEALTH/08/23/eggs.salmonella/c1main.eggs.cnn.jpg caption="More recalls may follow, FDA commissioner says" width=300 height=169]

The recall of more than half a billion eggs over the past two weeks is the "largest such egg recall in recent history" and the Food and Drug Administration "may need to continue with smaller sub-recalls," FDA Commissioner Margaret Hamburg told CNN's "American Morning" on Monday.

"We have a very complicated network of food distribution in this country," Hamburg said. "You start with a couple of farms in Iowa and you can get nationwide exposure."

Hillandale Farms of Iowa announced Friday it was recalling more than 170 million eggs. Another 380 million have been recalled by another Iowa producer, Wright County Egg, after the FDA linked the eggs to an outbreak of salmonella that has sickened hundreds of people nationwide.

The FDA was talking with the two egg producers to gain access to their premises to look around and examine their records. "We're continuing to investigate to make sure that we fully understand the source of the contamination," Hamburg said.

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