King Arthur Flour Recalled For E. coli Risk

Certain King Arthur Flour products have been recalled due to concerns that the flour is contaminated with E. coli.

On Oct. 3, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced that King Arthur Flour Inc. would be recalling some of their unbleached all purpose flour.

According to the agency, the flour may be contaminated with E. coli – a bacteria which can have severe health consequences.

The recall includes 5 lb. and 25 lb. bags of unbleached all purpose flour with various date codes and lot codes. A full list of affected best used by dates and lot codes is available here.

According to the FDA, the affected flour was milled by ADM Milling in one of the company’s New York facilities. King Arthur Flour then distributed the product under their own brand. Consumers may have purchased the affected flour products in grocery stores, online, or through catalogues.

These products were reportedly tested through sampling and were shown to contain E. coli, although King Arthur Flour has reportedly not received any confirmed illness reports in connection to their products.

“Bakers have trusted King Arthur Flour products in their kitchens for over 225 years and because of that trust we have issued this voluntary recall,” King Arthur Flour states on their website.

If customers purchased any of the affected products, the FDA instructs them to throw the products away and contact King Arthur Flour for a refund or replacement. Consumers can contact the company through their website or over the phone at 866-797-9178.

This recall is an expansion of another recall announced early this summer. In mid June, King Arthur Flour Inc. and ADM Milling Co. recalled 14,218 cases of 5 lb. unbleached all purpose flour due to potential E. coli contamination. Unlike the more current recall, the earlier flour recall included only three date codes and six lot codes.

Other flour has also been recently recalled for similar E. coli risks. On Sept. 16, General Mills announced that they would be recalling their 5 lb. bags of Gold Medal unbleached all purposed flour due to a possible E. coli contamination.

According to the CDC, E. coli is not always a dangerous bacterium. Most people and animals contain some strains of the bacteria in their digestive system. The healthy strains of E. coli are an important part of maintaining a healthy intestinal tract. However, some strains of the bacteria are pathogenic, meaning that they can cause illness. One of these strains, E. coli 026, is responsible for the reportedly contaminated flour products.

When someone is infected with pathogenic E. coli, they may develop intestinal distress symptoms such as diarrhea, stomach cramps, and vomiting. Some people may develop a low grade fever.

In most cases, E. coli can make someone miserable for five to seven days but does not have any long term complications. However, some infections can be severe or life-threatening due to the development of a dangerous kidney disease. Young children and elderly adults are reportedly at a higher risk for these complications, although they can occur in any population.

Did you purchase King Arthur Flour? Let us know in the comment section below.

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