Gold Medal all-purpose flour recalled, connected to Salmonella outbreak

Bags of Gold Medal all-purpose flour were recalled after an investigation connected the flour to a Salmonella outbreak | PROVIDED

Bags of Gold Medal all-purpose flour were recalled after an investigation connected the flour to a Salmonella outbreak | PROVIDED

A nationwide recall has been issued by General Mills for bags of Gold Medal flour after the bags were connected to a Salmonella outbreak across a dozen states, including Ohio.

The recall includes:

  • 2-pound bags of bleached all-purpose flour with UPC code 000-16000-10710
  • 5-pound bags of bleached all-purpose flour with UPC code 000-16000-10610
  • 5-pound bags of unbleached all-purpose flour with UPC code 000-16000-19610
  • 10-pound bags of unbleached all-purpose flour with UPC code 000-16000-19580

The recalled flour bags have “Better if used by” dates of March 27, 2024 and March 28, 2024.

The recall was issued after an investigation into 13 people infected with an outbreak of Salmonella, including one in Ohio, who fell ill from Dec. 6, 2022 through March 1, 2023. Of those 13, three have been hospitalized.

During the investigation, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration conducted an inspection at General Mills’ Kansas City, Missouri facility.

Salmonella was discovered sampling of Gold Medal’s 5-pound bags of all-purpose flour.

Although only 13 cases of Salmonella were confirmed to be linked to the flour, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention believe that the actual number of people infected is much higher, since most people who contract the disease recover without medical care and are not tested.

Symptoms of the disease include diarrhea, fever and stomach cramps, which usually start 6 hours to 6 days after swallowing the bacteria. Young children, adults over the age of 65 and people with weakened immune systems could experience severe illness and require hospitalization.

The CDC urged consumers not to use the recalled flour, but to throw it away or return it, and thoroughly wash any container used to store it.

Consumers who had to throw away flour connected to the recall can contact General Mills Consumer Relations at 1-800-230-8103.

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