Flour has been linked to a number of E. coli outbreaks and is now the source of a multistate Salmonella outbreak. How common are food poisoning outbreaks linked to flour?
Ongoing Salmonella Outbreak Linked to Gold Medal Flour
An ongoing Salmonella outbreak linked to Gold Medal flour has sickened 13 people, three of whom have been hospitalized. General Mills has issued a Salmonella recall for bleached and unbleached Gold Medal flour sold in 2-lb 5-lb and 10-lb bags. Health officials have been using whole genome sequencing (WGS) to identify people sickened in this outbreak. The 13 patients confirmed so far are from 12 states and became ill between December 6, 2022, and March 1, 2023.
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The illnesses occurred in California (1), Illinois (2), Iowa (1), Minnesota (1), Missouri (1), Nebraska (1), New Jersey (1), New York (1), Ohio (1), Oregon (1), Tennessee (1) and, Virginia (1).
2021 E. coli Cake Mix Outbreak
A 2021 E. coli cake mix outbreak ended with 16 people sick and seven hospitalized. One of the patients developed hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS) a form of kidney failure that is a complication of E. coli infections. Eighty percent of the people sickened told health officials that they tasted cake batter before they became ill, but investigators weren’t able to identify a brand that all of them purchased.
2018 -2019 E. coli O26 Flour Outbreak
In 2018 and 2019, an E. coli outbreak linked to flour produced by ADM Milling and used in Pillsbury Best Bread Flour, King Arthur flour, ALDI Baker’s Corner flour, and Brand Castle cookie and brownie mixes ended after sickening 21 people in nine states. Three people were hospitalized.
2018-2019 Duncan Hines Salmonella Outbreak
Another outbreak that began in 2018 and ended in 2019 was a Salmonella outbreak linked to Duncan Hines cake mixes. That outbreak sickened seven people in five states – Maryland, Ohio, Florida, Missouri, and Wisconsin.
2015-2016 Gold Medal Flour E. coli Outbreak
In 2015 and 2016, an E. coli O121 and O26 outbreak was linked to Gold Medal flour. Sixty-three people in 24 states were sickened, and 17 people were hospitalized. One person developed HUS.
The patients ranged in age from 1 year to 95 years old with a median age of 18.
2016 Pizza Ranch E. coli Outbreak
In 2016 and 2016, a multistate E. coli outbreak was linked to food served at Pizza Ranch restaurants. The outbreak included five cases in Minnesota and one in Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Nebraska, North Carolina, New Jersey, South Dakota, and Wisconsin.
2009 E. coli Outbreak Linked to Nestle Tollhouse Cookie Dough
In 2009, an E. coli outbreak was linked to Nestle Tollhouse Cookie dough. Contaminated flour was suspected as the source of contamination in the dough. Seventy-two people in thirty states were sickened. Thirty-four people were hospitalized, 10 developed hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS).
Experienced Food Poisoning Lawyers
If you or a family member have been sickened by contaminated flour or cake mix and you would like a free consultation with one of our experienced food poisoning lawyers please contact us today. You can reach us by calling 1-888-377-8900, sending a text to 612-261-0856, or completing the form below. There is no obligation and you never owe anything at all unless we win.
