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General Mills Expands Retail Flour Recall

July 25, 2016 - from the FDA:
Consumers are reminded not to eat uncooked dough or batter made with raw flour Due to four new confirmed illnesses, General Mills is adding additional flour production dates to the previously announced U.S. retail flour recall that was originally announced on May 31, 2016. The illnesses reported to health officials continue to be connected with consumers reporting that they ate or handled uncooked dough or ate uncooked batter made with raw flour. No illnesses have been connected with flour that has been properly baked, cooked or handled. The addition of new flour production dates is the result of General Mills conducting proactive flour testing and new information from health officials who are using new whole genome sequencing techniques to trace illnesses. E.coli (several sub-types) has been detected in a small number of General Mills flour samples and some have been linked to new patient illnesses that fell outside of the previously recalled dates. At this time, it is unknown if we are experiencing a higher prevalence of E.coli in flour than normal, if this is an issue isolated to General Mills’ flour, or if this is an issue across the flour industry. The newer detection and genome sequencing tools are also possibly making a connection to flour that may have always existed at these levels. “As a leader in flour production for 150 years, General Mills is committed to convening experts to work with government officials to learn more and create new protocols, if needed,” said General Mills President and Chief Operating Officer Jeff Harmening. “Most importantly, we want all the avid home bakers out there to have peace of mind and know the most important thing they can do to keep safe is to not eat uncooked flour.” Flour is a raw ingredient that is intended to be cooked or baked. Flour is made from wheat that is grown outdoors where bacteria are often present and the normal flour milling process does not remove these bacteria. In order for severe E. coli illness to occur from flour, all three of the following things have to happen: The flour a consumer is using has to contain the rare sub-types of E.coli that can make you sick. The consumer has to eat raw dough, batter or other uncooked food made with the flour, or handle the raw dough and not wash their hands. The consumer’s individual health characteristics will impact if they get sick and how severely. Some consumers have mild symptoms and others get very sick. It is not always known who will get sick and who will not. Previously announced recalled flour production dates ranged from November 4, 2015 through December 4, 2015. The expansion announced today includes select production dates through February 10, 2016. The new recall applies only to the specific product and date codes listed below.

• 13.5 ounce Gold Medal Wondra
  Package UPC 000-16000-18980
  Recalled Better if Used by Dates 14MAY2017PK
• 2lb Gold Medal All Purpose Flour
  Package UPC 000-16000-10710
  Recalled Better if Used by Dates 18JUN2017KC, 01AUG2017KC, 13AUG2017KC through 21AUG2017KC
• 10lb Gold Medal All Purpose Flour
  Package UPC 000-16000-10410
  Recalled Better if Used by Dates 18JUN2017KC, 01AUG2017KC
• 5lb Gold Medal All Purpose Flour
  Package UPC 000-16000-10610
  Recalled Better if Used by Dates 18JUN2017KC, 01AUG2017KC, 13AUG2017KC through 21AUG2017KC
• 5lb Gold Medal Self Rising Flour
  Package UPC 000-16000-11610
  Recalled Better if Used by Dates 27OCT2016KC
• 4.25lb Gold Medal All Purpose Flour
  Package UPC 000-16000-12670
  Recalled Better if Used by Dates 01AUG2017KC, 19AUG2017KC, 20AUG2017KC, 21AUG2017KC
• 5lb Gold Medal Unbleached Flour
  Package UPC 000-16000-19610
  Recalled Better if Used by Dates 01AUG2017KC, 14AUG2017KC, 15AUG2017KC, 16AUG2017KC, 17AUG2017KC, 19AUG2017KC, 20AUG2017KC
• 2lb Signature Kitchens All Purpose Flour Enriched Bleached
  Package UPC 000-21130-53000
  Recalled Better if Used by Dates BB 15 AUG 2017, BB 16 AUG 2017
• 5lb Signature Kitchens Unbleached Flour All Purpose Enriched
  Package UPC 000-21130-53022
  Recalled Better if Used by Dates BB 01 AUG 2017

General Mills Expands Flour Recall to Include Additional Dates from Last Fall

July 1, 2016 - from the FDA:
General Mills of Minneapolis, MN, continues to collaborate with health officials to investigate a multistate outbreak of E. coli O121, and is expanding its recall of Gold Medal flour, Wondra flour, and Signature Kitchens flour to include flour made earlier in the fall that may still be in consumers’ pantries. The recall is being expanded due to a newly-reported illness that appears to have stemmed from the consumption of raw dough or batter linked to flour produced last fall.
The recall affects the following retail flour products. It includes 8 SKUs (stock keeping units or UPC codes) of Gold Medal Flour, 1 SKU of Signature Kitchens Flour and 1 SKU of Gold Medal Wondra flour. If you have any of the products listed below, they should be thrown away. Consumers with additional questions or requesting a replacement should contact the company at 800-230-8103. Additional recall information can also be found at http://www.generalmills.com/flour:

The specific products in the recall include:

13.5 ounce Gold Medal Wondra
Package UPC	000-16000-18980
Recalled Better if Used by Dates	23FEB2017KC, 24FEB2017KC
2 lb Gold Medal All Purpose Flour
Package UPC	000-16000-10710
Recalled Better if Used by Dates	15MAY2017KC through 24MAY2017KC, 04JUN2017KC, 05JUN2017KC, 11JUN2017KC, 12JUN2017KC, 13JUN2017KC, 14JUN2017KC
2lb Gold Medal Self-Rising Flour
Package UPC	000-16000-11710
Recalled Better if Used by Dates	09AUG2016KC, 10AUG2016KC, 16AUG2016KC, 17AUG2016KC, 06SEP2016KC, 07SEP2016KC
10lb Gold Medal All Purpose Flour
Package UPC	000-16000-10410
Recalled Better if Used by Dates	16MAY2017KC through 20MAY2017KC, 05JUN2017KC
5lb Gold Medal All Purpose Flour
Package UPC	000-16000-10610
Recalled Better if Used by Dates	15MAY2017KC through 24MAY2017KC
5lb Gold Medal Self Rising Flour
Package UPC	000-16000-11610
Recalled Better if Used by Dates	10AUG2016KC, 11AUG2016KC
4.25lb Gold Medal All Purpose Flour
Package UPC	000-16000-12670
Recalled Better if Used by Dates	21MAY2017KC, 03JUN2017KC
5lb Gold Medal Unbleached Flour
Package UPC	000-16000-19610
Recalled Better if Used by Dates	19MAY2017KC through 24MAY2017KC, 11JUN2017KC, 12JUN2017KC
10lb Gold Medal All Purpose Flour- Banded Pack
Package UPC	000-16000-10650
Recalled Better if Used by Dates	15MAY2017KC
2lb Signature Kitchens All Purpose Flour Enriched Bleached
Package UPC	000-21130-53000
Recalled Better if Used by Dates	BB MAY 27 2017

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Gold Medal, Gold Medal Wondra, and Signature Kitchens Flour Recalled Due to Possible E. coli O121 Contamination

May 31, 2016 - From General Mills and Barfblog and the FDA:

General Mills is collaborating with health officials to investigate an ongoing, multistate outbreak of E. coli O121 that may be potentially linked to Gold Medal flour, Wondra flour, and Signature Kitchens flour (sold in Safeway, Albertsons, Jewel, Shaws, Vons, United, Randalls, and Acme). Out of an abundance of caution, a voluntary recall is being made. To date, E. coli O121 has not been found in any General Mills flour products or in the flour manufacturing facility and the company has not been contacted directly by any consumer reporting confirmed illnesses related to these products.
State and federal authorities have been researching 38 occurrences of illnesses across 20 states related to a specific type of E. coli (E. coli O121), between December 21, 2015, and May 3, 2016. While attempting to track the cause of the illness, CDC found that approximately half of the individuals reported making something homemade with flour at some point prior to becoming ill. Some reported using a General Mills brand of flour.
Based on the information that has been shared with General Mills, some of the ill consumers may have also consumed raw dough or batter. Consumers are reminded to not consume any raw products made with flour. Flour is an ingredient that comes from milling wheat, something grown outdoors that carries with it risks of bacteria which are rendered harmless by baking, frying or boiling. Consumers are reminded to wash their hands, work surfaces, and utensils thoroughly after contact with raw dough products or flour, and to never eat raw dough or batter.
If you have any of the products listed below, they should be thrown away. Consumers with additional questions or requesting a replacement should contact the company at 800-230-8103. Additional recall information can also be found at www.generalmills.com/flour.

13.5 ounce Gold Medal Wondra Flour
Package UPC	000-16000-18980
Recalled Better if Used by Dates	25FEB2017 thru 30MAR2017
2 lb. Gold Medal All Purpose Flour
Package UPC	000-16000-10710
Recalled Better if Used by Dates	25MAY2017KC thru 03JUN2017KC
2lb Gold Medal Self-Rising Flour
Package UPC	000-16000-11710
Recalled Better if Used by Dates	23AUG2016KC
10lb Gold Medal All Purpose Flour
Package UPC	000-16000-10410
Recalled Better if Used by Dates	02JUN2017KC,  03JUN2017KC
5lb Gold Medal All Purpose Flour
Package UPC	000-16000-10610
Recalled Better if Used by Dates	25MAY2017KC, 27MAY2017KC thru 31MAY2017KC, 01JUN2017KC, 03JUN2017KC thru 05JUN2017KC, 11JUN2017KC thru 14JUN2017KC
5lb Gold Medal Unbleached Flour
Package UPC	000-16000-19610
Recalled Better if Used by Dates	25MAY2017KC, 27MAY2017KC, 03JUN2017KC, 04JUN2017KC
10lb Gold Medal All Purpose Flour- Banded Pack
Package UPC	000-16000-10410
Recalled Better if Used by Dates	03JUN2017KC, 04JUN2017KC, 05JUN2017KC
5lb Signature Kitchens All Purpose Flour Enriched Bleached
Package UPC	000-21130-53001
Recalled Better if Used by Dates	BB MAY 28 2017
5lb Signature Kitchens Unbleached Flour All Purpose Enriched
Package UPC	000-21130-53022
Recalled Better if Used by Dates	BB MAY 27 2017

The previous item can be cited with the URL: https://www.kashrut.com/Alerts/?alert=A5496

Kashrus alert on OU Philly Swirl Ices

July 26, 2016 from the OU:
Philly Swirl Swirl Cup, Philly's Famous Water Ice, Inc. Tampa FL: Due to an error, a non-certified product appears in some boxes of Philly Swirl Cups. The candy coated spoons are not certified by the Orthodox Union, yet, the box bears an OU symbol. Notices were placed inside each box to notify consumers that only the ices are certified kosher, and not the spoons. Other corrective actions are being implemented. The Orthodox Union certifies Philly Swirl ices.

The previous item can be cited with the URL: https://www.kashrut.com/Alerts/?alert=A5566

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Phone: (781)784-6890  E-mail: ajms@kashrut.com URL: "http://www.kashrut.com/"   Arlene J. Mathes-Scharf   Food Scientist - Kosher Food Specialist   Scharf Associates P.O. Box 50 Sharon, MA 02067