The 10th-largest U.S. food processor, General Mills, is recalling 10 million pounds of wheat flour because it might be linked to an outbreak of food-borne illness, said NBC News. “It’s a huge recall of a item not normally linked with outbreaks of food-borne illness, but state and federal health officials say flour seems to be the common link among 38 illnesses in 20 states.”
In a statement, General Mills, based in Minneapolis, said the CDC, in tracking illnesses caused by E coli O121 bacteria, “found that approximately half of the individuals reported making something homemade with flour at some point prior to becoming ill” and some said they used a General Mills brand.
“E. coli bacteria are just about everywhere and they are normally harmless residents of the digestive tract. But there are a few forms that can cause diseases. E. coli 0121 is one of them,” said NBC News.
To read the General Mills statement, click here.