General Mills recalls bags of Gold Medal flour over salmonella fears
- Five-pound bags of Gold Medal Unbleached Flour were recalled on Wednesday
- General Mills said salmonella was found during sampling of the product
- However, no customer has reported falling ill from using the affected flour
General Mills is issuing a nationwide voluntary recall of bags of Gold Medal Unbleached Flour over salmonella concerns.
The Minnesota-based company says it discovered the bacteria during sampling of the product, according to a statement released on Wednesday.
However, no customer has reported an illness from using the affected flour and General ill said it is issuing the recall ‘out of an abundance of care’.
The five-pound bags have a ‘better if used by’ date of April 20, 2020 and the UPC code 000-16000-19610-0.
A nationwide voluntary recall was issued by General Mills of five-pound bags of Gold Medal Unbleached Flour (pictured) over salmonella concerns
Salmonella infections occur after eating raw meat and eggs or foods that are contaminated with the bacteria.
Symptoms can include nausea, vomiting, diarrhea and abdominal pain that generally last between four and seven days.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), salmonella is the cause for 1.2 million illnesses, 23,000 hospitalizations, and 450 deaths in the US annually.
Most people can recover without treatment, although there are cases where antibiotics or IV fluids are needed.
The recall notice did not state how many bags or how many pounds were affected by the contamination.
However, USA Today reported that the recall involves fewer than 100,000 bags.
No other type of Gold Medal Flour was found to contain the bacteria and they are not subject to recall.
‘Food safety is our top priority, and though we have not had any confirmed illnesses, we are voluntarily recalling this specific lot of Gold Medal Unbleached Flour to prevent potential illnesses,’ Jim Murphy, President of General Mills Meals and Baking Division, said in a statement.
‘This recall does not involve any other flour products, and we are continuing to educate consumers that flour is not a “ready to eat” ingredient. Anything you make with flour must be cooked or baked before eating.’
Consumers are asked to immediately throw away the product and to contact General Mills Consumer Relations at 1-800-230-8103 during business hours.
In September 2016, several types and varieties were of General Mills flour was recalled after 63 people in 24 states were infected with E. coli, according to the CDC.
The new recall is the latest in a series of salmonella outbreaks that have been spreading across the US over the last year.
In August 2018, the CDC released a report that one person had died and another 16 were sickened after contracting salmonella from Empire kosher chicken.
In June 2018, Kellogg voluntarily recalled its popular children’s cereal Honey Smacks, which was linked to a massive salmonella outbreak that infected at least 100 people.
One month later, in July, Mondelez International recalled 16 varieties of Ritz Cracker Sandwiches and Ritz Bits products over salmonella risks, with two people falling.
That same month, Pepperidge Farm voluntarily recalled four types of Goldfish Crackers due to salmonella fears.