E. Coli Outbreak Prompts General Mills Recall Of Millions Of Pounds Of Flour

General Mills has announced a voluntary recall of some of its flour products in relation to an investigation into the cause of 38 cases of E. coli in 20 different states since December. They posted news of the recall to their website and state that, while it’s not clear that these products were the source of E. coli cases, they are doing the recall “out of an abundance of caution.” The impacted flour lines are Wondra, Gold Medal, and Signature Kitchens (a brand sold in Safeway, Albertsons, Jewel, Acme, Shaws, Randalls, Vons, and United).

The announcement states that E. coli has thus far not been found in any of these products, nor in any of the facilities in which they are processed. None of the E. coli cases under investigation have been traced to General Mills flour, and no consumers have contacted them regarding a case of the infection. They made the decision to implement a recall because, in the course of the CDC investigation, it was discovered that in about half of the E. coli cases being examined, patients reported making something homemade with flour prior to becoming ill. Others may have eaten raw dough or batter prior to coming down with symptoms of an E. coli infection.

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Because flour is made from wheat, it’s possible for it to carry bacteria, including E. coli, from its outdoor growing area. For this reason, the General Mills announcement includes advice to not consume raw flour, raw dough, or raw batter. E. coli or any other bacteria that may be present in flour is killed when it is cooked. In addition to not consuming raw flour in any form, cooks are reminded to wash their hands and cooking surfaces frequently in order to reduce the chances of E. coli or other bacteria being accidentally ingested. Details about the recall are included in the announcement about the General Mills so consumers can check their pantries for products that may be infected with E. coli.

NBC News reports that the recall includes about 10 million pounds of flour and that flour is not a food item that is commonly associated with E. coli. The specific strain of the bacteria that is the source of illness in this outbreak is E. coli 0121. The last time there was a significant outbreak of this strain was in 2014. There were 19 cases of E. coli 0121 reported in that outbreak, and its source was eventually traced back to clover sprouts.

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On its website, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) explains that E. coli normally lives in the digestive tract of humans and animals and causes no problems. Some strains, however, can cause illness. The FDA describes some of the symptoms of E. coli 0121 as ranging from an infection that runs its course in about a week to more serious health issues, including kidney failure.

Most individuals develop symptoms of E. coli 0121 about three or four days after ingesting the bacteria. These symptoms usually include diarrhea (often bloody) and abdominal cramps. Normally, these problems resolve in about a week. More serious symptoms typically occur only among young children (under age five), the elderly, or others with weakened immune symptoms. In addition to the two symptoms above, symptoms of a more serious case of E. coli 0121 include pale skin, decreased urination, fever, and bleeding from the nose or mouth.

The General Mills announcement about this E. coli 0121 outbreak urges anyone who suspects they may have the illness to contact their physician and, if diagnosed with the bacterial infection, to inform their state and local health authorities. If you have questions about the recall related to this specific outbreak of E. coli 0121, you may do so on their site.

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