Gold Medal Flour recalled by FDA due to Salmonella contamination.

Gold Medal Flour Recalled Due to Salmonella Risk

No matter what level of home cook you may be, it’s practically impossible to pull off certain dishes without flour. The kitchen staple is the baseline ingredient for most baked goods such as cookies and cakes, but it also makes its way into homemade pasta, gravies and sauces, and crispy coatings on your favorite fried foods. It’s even handy for home art projects or making homemade playdough. But before you go to prepare your next meal, you might want to double-check what’s in your pantry after the U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA) announced that Gold Medal Flour has been recalled.

What You Need to Know

• General Mills has voluntarily recalled its Gold Medal Unbleached and Bleached All Purpose Flour.
• The move affects 5-pound and 10-pound bags of unbleached flour with the UPCs 000-16000-19610 and 000-16000-19580, respectively.
• It also includes 2-pound bags of bleached flour with the UPC 000-16000-10710 and 5-pound bags of bleached flour with the UPC 000-16000-10610.
• All recalled items are stamped with a “better if used by” date of March 27, 2024, or March 28, 2024.
• The company clarified that no other units of Gold Medal Flour are affected by the move.

According to the recall notice, the company pulled the product from shelves after sampling of a 5-pound bag came back positive for Salmonella Infantis bacteria. The potentially dangerous microorganism can cause serious illness in some people, including symptoms such as nausea, diarrhea, fever, and abdominal pains, per the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

The Gold Medal recall comes roughly a month after the CDC announced it believed flour was the source of a Salmonella outbreak that had sickened 12 people across 11 states as of March 30. Three of the reported cases resulted in hospitalization of the patient.

What You Should Do

Due to the potential for contamination, customers who have recently purchased Gold Medal Flour are advised to check their pantries and throw away any of the affected items. Customers can also contact General Mills for a refund by calling a hotline posted on the recall notice. Anyone who believes they may have become ill after consuming the product should seek medical attention immediately.

The FDA and CDC also warn that consuming raw products made with uncooked flour is unsafe. The agencies note that “Salmonella Infantis is killed by heat through baking, frying, sautéing, or boiling products made with flour.” In addition, they advise that all surfaces, hands, and utensils should be properly cleaned after they come in contact with flour, batter, or raw dough.

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