General Mills has recalled two Gold Medal flours after they detected salmonella in a five-pound sample of the product, according to the Food and Drug Administration.
The recall announced Friday covers Gold Medal all-purpose unbleached and bleached with a “best if used by” date of March 27, 2024 or March 28, 2024. No other types of Gold Medal flour were affected. The company advised consumers to check their inventory and dispose of any product affected by the recall.
The notice of the flour recall did not link General Mills to any reports of illness. But the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention was investigating salmonella outbreaks in 11 states where most of the 12 individuals who were infected reported eating raw dough or dough made with flour before they became sick. “Investigators are working to identify a specific type of flour associated with diseases,” the CDC wrote in an advisory on March 23.
Salmonella is a bacterium that lives in the intestines of animals, such as birds, and can be transmitted to humans when animal feces enter the food supply. Although some infected individuals do not develop symptoms, most develop diarrhea, fever, and stomach cramps about eight to 72 hours after exposure. Most healthy people recover within a few days, but severe complications sometimes require medical treatment. The most recent outbreak resulted in three hospitalizations.
The US Food and Drug Administration has warned consumers not to eat any raw products made with flour. Although salmonella can be killed by the heat of cooking or baking, the CDC advises parents not to let their children handle raw dough or cake mix.