(MCT) — The Ashland-Boyd County Health Department has found cartons of eggs recalled for possible salmonella contamination being sold in Ashland.

The eggs, discovered by the health department on Friday after a complaint was filed, have now been removed from store shelves, information officer Kristy Bolen said.

The eggs may be the first recalled eggs found in the state. Bolen said officials at the health department had been told by the FDA that there were no recalled eggs in Kentucky before a complaint was filed by an individual on Friday.

“We were kind of surprised,” she said.

The eggs were recalled because they may contain Salmonella Enteritidis and may cause illness if not handled properly, according to a press release from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

The recalled eggs were found on the shelves of the Wal-Mart on River Hill Drive and in the warehouse of the Cannonsburg Wal-Mart. Those two locations were the only ones investigated by the health department because Wal-Mart was the store mentioned in the complaint, Bolen said.

Other establishments that sell or prepare eggs will be checked for recalled eggs during routine inspections, she said.

Bolen said the eggs were probably still on the shelves because of a confusion over which eggs were recalled. The information given to the stores from their home office didn’t originally list jumbo eggs as among those recalled.

A press release on Wal-Mart’s corporate website issued on Monday states that the recall affected nearly 630 stores in 20 states including Kentucky.

“We continue to work with our suppliers to monitor the situation and will take the appropriate steps to remove affected products from our store shelves,” the press release states.

Joe Weis, 64, of Westwood, said he purchased a carton of a dozen Sunny Farms eggs from Wal-Mart with a plant number and Julian number that corresponded with those listed on the FDA website listing recalled eggs. Weis’s carton had a plant number of 1860 and a Julian number of 200.

Weis said he became aware that he had a carton of recalled eggs on Aug. 20. He and his wife had company over and he got a carton of eggs out of the refrigerator to use. Before he did so, he decided to check the numbers against the numbers on the FDA website.

He said he had also purchased five dozen eggs that hadn’t been recalled.

Weis said he kept the eggs, originally planning to return them to Wal-Mart. He later decided to inform the health department.

He said it was important to inform the health department because he and others in the area had thought that no recalled eggs had been shipped to Kentucky, and so they didn’t need to look out for them.

Bolen said typical cases of salmonella infection in a healthy person are usually not severe. It can be severe in the very young, the elderly and those who have compromised immune systems.

Even the eggs that are possibly contaminated, however, are safe when handled properly and cooked thoroughly, she said.

People who find they have purchased recalled eggs should discard them and can contact the store where they bought the eggs for a possible refund, Bolen said.

The FDA website, www.fda.gov/Food, lists the plant numbers and Julian dates and types of eggs included in the national recall.The Julian date represents the number of days into the year the eggs were packed.

Contaminated eggs under brand names Lucerne, Albertson, Mountain Dairy, Ralph’s, Boomsma’s, Sunshine, Hillandale, Trafficanda, Farm Fresh, Shoreland, Lund, Dutch Farms and Kemps were shipped in cartons stamped with plant numbers 1026, 1413 and 1946 with Julian dates from 136 to 225.

Contaminated eggs under brand names Albertsons, Farm Fresh, James Farms, Glenview, Mountain Dairy, Ralphs, Boomsma’s, Lund, Kemps and Pacific Coast were shipped in cartons stamped plant numbers 1720 and 1942 with Julian dates from 136 to 229

Contaminated eggs under brand names Hillandale Farms, Sunny Farms and Sunny Meadowplant were shipped in cartons stamped plant number 1860 with Julian dates from 099 to 230 and plant number 1663 with Julian dates from 137 to 230.

The Centers for Disease Control advise consumers:

Avoid eating recalled eggs or products containing recalled eggs.

Consult a doctor if you think you are becoming ill from eating contaminated eggs.

Keep eggs refrigerated at less than 45 degrees.

Discard cracked or dirty eggs.

Wash hands, cooking utensils and food-prep surfaces with soap and water after contact with raw eggs.

Cook eggs until both the white and the yellow are firm, and eat them promptly after cooking.

Do not keep eggs warm or at room temperature for more than two hours.

Refrigerate leftover eggs or egg-containing foods promptly.

Avoid any dish made with raw, undercooked or unpasteurized eggs in any recipe.