General Mills has announced a voluntary national recall of some of its flour because the potential for Salmonella contamination. This follows a large multi-state outbreak of E. coli infections in 2016 linked to the company’s same product.
Only five-pound bags of its Gold Medal Unbleached Flour with a better if used by date of April 20, 2020 are subject to the recall. During sampling tests of the product there was a presence of Salmonella. There are currently no confirmed illnesses.
Healthy persons infected with Salmonella often experience food poisoning symptoms such as fever, diarrhea, nausea, vomiting and abdominal pain. In rare circumstances, infection with Salmonella can result in the organism getting into the bloodstream and producing more severe illnesses such as arterial infections (i.e., infected aneurysms), endocarditis and arthritis.
Flour produced at a General Mills facility in Kansas City, MO, was the likely source of an outbreak more than two years ago of E. coli infections that sickened 63 people in 24 states, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. In total, 17 people were hospitalized as a result and one developed a type of kidney failure. No deaths were reported.
Consumers are asked to check their pantries and dispose of the product affected by this recall. Those who have had to discard products covered by this recall may contact General Mills Consumer Relations at 1-800-230-8103 or visit www.generalmills.com/flour.
