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General Mills is recalling 10 million pounds of flour that may be linked with an eruption ofE. coli . And even though baking would shoot down theE. colipathogen , experts say it ’s still wise to to throw out the recalled flour if you have it in your kitchen .
" I would n’t want to have it in my family , " said Benjamin Chapman , an associate professor and food safe specialist at North Carolina State University . " It ’s not uncommon to get flour dust throughout your kitchen , and if there ’s a pathogen in that flour detritus , I would n’t want to spread that around . "
General Mills announce on Tuesday ( May 31 ) that the company is work with health official to investigate the lawsuit of a newE. colioutbreak that has turn one’s stomach 38 people in 20 states , include 10 people who had to be hospitalized . It ’s indecipherable what food might be causing the irruption , and General Mills has n’t foundE. colicontamination in its products or in its manufacture facilities .
However , about half of the people who got sick said they made something with flour at household before they cause nauseous , and some of the ill people said they consumed raw dough or batter , thecompany said in a statement . The fellowship has issued a voluntary recall that include products pay any of the nine UPC codes that it lean on its website .
Flour is made from wheat berry that ’s grown outdoors , and so flour can comprise bacterium , which are killed when you bake , fry or boil the flour , the company said . [ Top 7 Germs in Food That Make You Sick ]
Although it might be tempt to keep the recalled flour , and just be careful to bake it good , Chapman said that this would be high-risk . Flour is used for more than just broil — for example , you could use it to thicken sauces , he said . And if you do n’t heat it enough , you might not kill a pathogen , Chapman said .
The new outbreak involve a bacterial strain calledE. coliO121 , which can cause stomach cramp , crashing diarrhea and dehydration . It belong to a grouping ofE. colibacteria known asshiga toxin - producingE. coli , or STEC . The most vulgar STEC areE. coliO157 : H7 , but in late years , solid food safety gadget authorities have more and more been on the lookout for other kinds of STEC , includingE. coliO121 , Chapman said .
This is n’t the first time that a flour or dough product has been recall . In 2009 , Nestlé Toll Houserecalled great deal of refrigerated biscuit doughbecause the product was linked with an outbreak ofE. coliO157 : H7 . And originally this year , dough from the eatery chain Pizza Ranch was linked with 13 face ofE. ColiO157 : H7 in nine country .
We may start to see more outbreaks tied to product like flour as health officials get unspoilt at determine the reservoir of foodborne sickness outbreaks through genome sequencing of pathogens , Chapman state .
The new outbreak also serves as a reminder not to eat in the buff dough , according to General Mills . " consumer are prompt to dampen their hands , workplace surfaces , and utensils good after contact with raw simoleons product or flour , and to never eat raw dough or batter , " the financial statement aver .
