YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio (WKBN) – General Mills is recalling several brands of its flours as a precautionary measure due to an outbreak of E.coli that may be linked to some of its flour brands.
E. coli has not been found in any General Mills flour products or in the flour making facility, and there have been no confirmed illnesses reported as result of their flour products.
As federal officials continue to track an E.coli 0121 outbreak stretching over 20 states from Dec. 21, 2015 and May 3, 2016, they discovered that half of the people sickened with E. coli reported making something homemade with flour at some point prior to becoming ill. Some reported using Gold Medal flour.
Based on the information that has been shared with General Mills, some of the ill consumers may have also consumed raw dough or batter.
Consumers are reminded to not consume any raw products made with flour. Flour is an ingredient that comes from milling wheat, something grown outdoors that carries with it risks of bacteria which are rendered harmless by baking, frying or boiling. Consumers are reminded to wash their hands, work surfaces, and utensils thoroughly after contact with raw dough products or flour, and to never eat raw dough or batter.
“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,” said Liz Nordlie, president of General Mills Baking division.
Any consumers concerned about an illness should contact a physician. Anyone diagnosed by a physician as having an illness related to E. coli O121 is also urged to contact state and local public health authorities.
Complete recall information and brands.
