General Mills Recalled 10 Million Pounds Of Flour Due To An E. coli Scare

Flour is as essential to a cooking as fire is to a stove. So, when General Mills voluntarily recalls 10 million pounds of one of the most popular flour due to a possible E. coli contamination, it’s something we all worry about.

General Mills is now working with health officials to investigate the source of what caused 38 cases of possible E. coli contamination across, “20 states between Dec. 21, 2015 – May 3, 2016,” according to a press release issued by General Mills on May 31.

General Mills characterized the recall as, “precautionary,” but warned consumers that the cause could potentially be linked to SEVERAL BRANDS of General Mills specific flour including, “Gold Medal flour, Wondra flour, and Signature Kitchens flour,”

However, General Mills remains confident that “E. coli O121″ has yet to be detected in any General Mills flour-making facility.

“To date, E. coli O121 has not been found in any General Mills flour products or in the flour manufacturing facility, and the company has not been contacted directly by any consumer reporting confirmed illnesses related to these products,” according to the General Mills press release.

The Center for Disease Control reported that E. coli O121 can cause serious illness, and provided a list of some consumer precautions:

The CDC also reported that although 10 people have been hospitalized, there haven’t been any deaths, nor cases of hemolytic uremic syndrome, a type of kidney failure that’s often a worst-case scenario with E. Coli.

In order to protect consumers against this outbreak, General Mills listed each of the recalled selections of flour packages, with weight, package UPC and the “recalled better if used by dates” on their website.

Gold Medal Wondra All Purpose Flour

Gold Medal All Purpose Flour

Gold Medal All Purpose Flour — Unbleached

Signature Kitchens All Purpose Flour — Enriched

Gold Medal Self Rising Flour

If you have one of these packages inside your pantry at home, toss it quick, before it becomes a vulgar display of flour.