Here’s another reminder not to eat raw dough.
A new flour recall is in effect following an outbreak of E. coli infections linked to the product in eight states. Three people have already been hospitalized, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported.
The latest announcement affects Pillsbury Best 5-pound bags of bread flour because it may potentially be contaminated with the bacteria, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration said Friday.
The recall covers about 4,620 cases of the product, which was sold in stores across 10 states: Connecticut, Delaware, Maryland, Maine, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Virginia.
Consumers should look for these codes and "best-if-used-by" dates:
- UPC Item Code: 0 5150020031 5/Lot code: 8 342/Use-by date: June 8, 2020
- UPC Item Code: 0 5150020031 5/Lot code: 8 343/Use-by date: June 9, 2020
Hometown Food Company, which owns the Pillsbury brand, said the recall was issued "out of an abundance of caution" after it was informed by the ADM Milling Company that wheat used to make these two lots of Pillsbury Best bread flour had been linked to E. coli illnesses.
Last week, King Arthur Flour announced it was voluntarily recalling 14,218 cases of its 5-pound unbleached all-purpose flour for the same reason.
The flour was sold in stores around the country, but only products with these six specific lot codes and three “best used by dates” are part of the recall:
- Best Used By 12/07/19 Lot: L18A07C
- Best Used By 12/08/19 Lots: L18A08A, L18A08B
- Best Used By 12/14/19 Lots: L18A14A, L18A14B, L18A14C
This information can be found on the bottom of the side panel, below the nutrition facts panel.
If you have any of the recalled flour, don’t cook or bake with it. Throw it away or return it to the store where you bought it for a refund. If you have any questions, call the King Arthur Flour Consumer Hotline at 866-797-9178 or visit the company’s website. For the Pillsbury recall, call 1-866-219-9333.
No illnesses linked to King Arthur Flour products or those recalled by Pillsbury have been reported so far.
Aldi also had to make a flour recall last month after it was linked to the E. coli outbreak.
The illness can cause severe diarrhea that’s often bloody, severe stomach pain and vomiting, according to Foodsafety.gov. Most people recover within about a week, but some can develop hemolytic uremic syndrome, a form of kidney failure that’s most likely to affect young children and the elderly.
Earlier this year, General Mills and Pillsbury issued flour recalls over salmonella contamination fears.
Flour is a raw agricultural product that hasn’t been treated to kill germs, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention warns. Never taste or eat raw dough or batter, and don’t let children play with raw dough, the agency urged. Always wash your hands, work surfaces and utensils after working with with raw dough or flour.
