General Mills announced a recall on their five-pound bags of Gold Medal Unbleached All-Purpose Flour with the “used by” date of Sept. 6, 2020.
The flour is being voluntarily recalled for potential E. Coli. The company discovered during testing that there was a potential presence of E. coli. E. Coli, aka Escherichia coli, is usually a harmless bacteria that lives in the intestines of people and animals. Although E. Coli is harmless, some can be “Pathogenic,” which means they can cause illness.
This recall is specific to this product; no other types of Gold Medal Flour are affected by the recall.
It should also be noted that in the announcement, that both the Food and Drug Administration Centers for Disease Control warn consumers that they should refrain from consuming raw products with flours.
General Mills also noted on their website that, “Do not eat uncooked dough or batter made with raw flour. Flour is made from wheat that is grown outdoors where bacteria are often present. Flour is typically not treated to kill bacteria during the normal milling process.”
It is also important to note that General Mills says, “E. coli O26 is killed by heat through baking, frying, sautéing or boiling products made with flour. All surfaces, hands, and utensils should be properly cleaned after contact with flour or dough.”
Although there have been no confirmed reports of illness from the flour, the company is doing this out of precaution.
According to the CDC, some symptoms of E.coli include: “severe stomach cramps, diarrhea (often bloody), and vomiting. Some people may have a fever, which usually is not very high (less than 101˚F/38.5˚C). Most people get better within 5 to 7 days.”
Some infections can be life-threatened, and others can be mild. If you or someone you know is suffering from these symptoms, contact your doctor right away.
The very young, the elderly, and those with compromised immune systems are those most susceptible to foodborne illnesses.
The information on the recalled bags are as follows:
Package UPC 000-16000-19610-0
Recalled Better if Used by Date 06SEP2020KC
If you have this item in your pantry General Mills wants you to toss it out and call General Mills Consumer Relations at 1-800-230-8103 or fill out this form.
