Four Encinitas retailers sold eggs now under a statewide recall for Salmonella contamination, the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) confirmed Friday, Sept. 11.

Fox Point Farms, Harvest Ranch, Lofty Coffee and Nectarine Grove all appear on a CDPH retail distribution list naming 41 San Diego County locations that received Happy Hens brand organic eggs. The Ramona-based farm voluntarily recalled its eggs on Tuesday, Sept. 8 after a Salmonella Enteritidis outbreak sickened 23 people and hospitalized seven. No deaths have been reported.

The recalled products are in-shell organic eggs, all grades and sizes, carrying egg handler code CA-0677 in three lots: Lot 223 (sell by Thursday, Sept. 10), Lot 226 (sell by Sunday, Sept. 13) and Lot 237 (sell by Sept. 24). Package sizes range from one-dozen cartons to 15-dozen foodservice cases.

CDPH advises anyone who finds these eggs at home to throw them away or return them for a refund. Surfaces and utensils that touched the eggs should be washed with hot soapy water or run through a dishwasher.

The outbreak traces back months. Illness onset dates range from June 21 through Aug. 16, according to CDPH. The San Diego County Health and Human Services Agency identified Happy Hens eggs as the source after interviewing sick residents. An FDA inspection of the Ramona farm from Aug. 17 through Aug. 20 found Salmonella Enteritidis in two of seven hen houses tested, and genetic sequencing matched the strain to the one found in patients.

Food safety attorney Bill Marler, writing on Marler Blog on Sept. 11, noted the recall came six weeks after the first outbreak announcement. He pointed out that the recalled lot codes correspond to eggs packed in August, after most people had already fallen ill.

"A recall issued in early August would have reached the eggs that were hurting people," Marler wrote. "A recall issued on Tuesday, September 8, 2026 reaches the eggs that are left."

Happy Hens acknowledged the outbreak in an Instagram statement on Sept. 8, saying the company was being publicly linked to the Salmonella Enteritidis outbreak and was taking it seriously. As of the evening of Sept. 11, the farm's website carried no recall notice and its online store was still accepting orders, according to Marler.

The outbreak also extends beyond store shelves. Fox 5 San Diego reported the contamination is linked to mayonnaise produced by Ramona Family Naturals, a Ramona market that used raw Happy Hens eggs. A home-delivery service, Farm Fresh to You, also appears on the CDPH distribution list, meaning recalled eggs may have reached customers directly.

Salmonella symptoms begin six hours to six days after exposure and include diarrhea, fever and stomach cramps. Children younger than 5, adults 65 and older, and people with weakened immune systems face higher risk of severe illness.

Anyone who spots recalled Happy Hens eggs still for sale can call the CDPH complaint hotline at (800) 495-3232. Consumers can also reach Happy Hens directly at 760-870-5162, Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.