General Mills Recalls 10 Million Pounds Of Flour After E. Coli Scare

General Mills has announced the recall of an estimated 10 million pounds of flour because of a possible link to an E. coli outbreak that has made 38 people across 20 states sick since December.

The national recall includes products sold under the company’s Gold Medal, Gold Medal Wondra and Signature Kitchen brand names. Products included in the recall include both unbleached flour and bleached flour.

State and federal health officials have been investigating 38 occurrences of illness connected to E. coli 0121, General Mills explained on its website. Those illnesses occurred between Dec. 21, 2015, and May 3, 2016.

“While attempting to track the cause of the illness, (the) CDC found that approximately half of the individuals reported making something homemade with flour at some point prior to becoming ill,” the General Mills website said. “Some reported using a General Mills brand flour.”

While E. coli 0121 has not been directly found in any General Mills flour products or in the company’s flour manufacturing facility, the company opted to issue the voluntary recall notice.

“As a leading provider of flour for 150 years, we felt it was important to not only recall the product and replace it for consumers if there was any doubt, but also to take this opportunity to remind our consumers how to safely handle flour,” Liz Nordlie, president of General Mills Baking division, said in a statement.

Most strains of E. coli are considered harmless, but E. coli 0121 is linked with a “potentially deadly bacterium that can cause bloody diarrhea and dehydration,” the company reported. Those who are elderly, very young or who have compromised immune systems are the most susceptible.

Consumers are also being reminded that it is unsafe to consume raw products made with flour, such as cookie dough. Bacteria on flour is generally rendered harmless when it is boiled, fried or baked, General Mills advised.

“Consumers are reminded to wash their hands, work surfaces, and utensils thoroughly after contact with raw dough products or flour, and to never eat rough dough or batter,” the company’s announcement said.

Products included in the recall are:

• 13.5-ounce Gold Medal Wondra: Package UPC, 000-16000-18980; Recalled Better if Used by Dates, 25FEB2017 thru 30MAR2017
• 2-Pound Gold Medal All Purpose Flour: Package UPC, 000-16000-10710; Recalled Better if Used by Dates, 25MAY2017KC thru 03JUN2017KC
• 5-Pound Gold Medal All Purpose Flour: Package UPC, 000-16000-10610; Recalled Better if Used by Dates 25MAY2017KC, 27MAY2017KC thru 31MAY2017KC, 01JUN2017KC, 03JUN2017KC thru 05JUN2017KC, 11JUN2017KC thru 14JUN2017KC
• 10-Pound Gold Medal All Purpose Flour: Package UPC, 000-16000-10410; Recalled Better if Used by Dates 02JUN2017KC,03JUN2017KC
• 10-Pound Gold Medal All Purpose Flour, Banded Pack: Package UPC, 000-16000-10410; Recalled Better if Used by Dates, 03JUN2017KC, 04JUN2017KC, 05JUN2017KC
• 5-Pound Gold Medal Unbleached Flour: Package UPC, 000-16000-19610; Recalled Better if Used by Dates, 25MAY2017KC, 27MAY2017KC, 03JUN2017KC, 04JUN2017KC
• 5-pound Signature Kitchens All Purpose Flour Enriched Bleached: Package UPC, 000-21130-53001; Recalled Better if Used by Dates, BB MAY 28 2017
• 5-Pound Signature Kitchens Unbleached Flour All Purpose Enriched: Package UPC, 000-21130-53022; Recalled Better if Used by Dates, BB MAY 27 2017
• 2-Pound Gold Medal Self-Rising Flour: Package UPC, 000-16000-11710; Recalled Better if Used by Dates, 23AUG2016KC

All told, the recall affects about 10 million pounds of flour, a company spokesman told Patch. The Gold Medal products were shipped nationwide. Signature Kitchens products are sold at such retailers as Safeway, Albertsons, Jewel, Shaws, Vons, United, Randalls and Acme, General Mills reported.

Consumers who have any of the above products are asked to not use them. Questions about the recall and information on how to get a replacement product can be obtained by calling 1-800-230-8103 or by visiting http://www.generalmills.com/flour online.