According to a joint investigation by the company and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), several people who recently became ill had recently prepared food using flour, and some specifically reported that the flour was a General Mills product.
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General Mills on Tuesday issued a voluntary recall of about 10 million pounds of flour, saying it was working with health officials to investigate an outbreak of E. coli that had sickened 38 people in 20 US states.
The brands include Gold Medal, Wondra, and Signature Kitchens flour (sold at Safeway, Albertsons, Jewel, Shaws, Vons, United, Randalls, and Acme). Thirty-eight people in 20 states have become sick between December of past year and early May, and the common link appears to be flour, though E. coli hasn’t been found in any General Mills products, The New York Times reports. General Mills said on Tuesday that it saw the recall as a chance to teach customers to use the ingredient properly.
The CDC said that 76 percent of the sickened customers reported that they, or someone in their household, had used flour in the week before getting sick, while nine people said they had eaten or tasted raw homemade dough or batter.
Out of an abundance of caution, General Mills announced the voluntary recall of more than 10 million pounds of flour because it may be linked to the outbreak. General Mills said some also may have eaten raw dough or batter.
According to the company, many E. coli strains aren’t harmful, but E. coli O121 is a potentially deadly bacteria that can result in dehydration and bloody diarrhea. Other effects vary depending on the severity.
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“Do not consume raw dough”, Aramouni said. The Seattle Times reported this morning that two illnesses were reported in Washington state. The company said it had not been contacted directly by consumers reporting a confirmed illness tied to its products. Three ill people reported eating or playing with raw dough at restaurants. Bacteria is commonly found in flour at low levels because flour comes from milling wheat, something that is grown outdoors where bacteria are often present. A list of the affected UPC codes can be found on the company’s website. The General Mills plant is on Guinotte Avenue in northeast Kansas City.
