King Arthur Flour. is expanding its June 13, 2019 recall of its Unbleached All Purpose Flour in 5 pound and 25 pound packages for possible E. coli O26 contamination. No confirmed illnesses have been reported to the company to date in connection with this recall.
The flour was milled at an ADM Milling facility in Buffalo, New York. It
The recalled product is Unbleached All-Purpose Flour packaged in 5 pound and 25 pound packages with specific best used by dates and lot codes. The 5 pound packages were sold was sold by King Arthur Flour through retailers nationwide and also through the company’s website, catalogue, and store in Norwich, Vermont. You can see the long list of dates and codes of the recalled products at the FDA web site. The 5 pound packages have the UPC number 071012010509. The recalled 25 pound packages of King Arthur Unbleached Flour have the UPC number 071012012503 and were sold only at Costco stores. These new lot codes are in addition to the lot codes listed in the June 13, 2019 recall notice.
If you have purchased these products with these specific lot codes, UPC numbers, and best used by dates, do not use the flour, even if you plan to cook with it. It’s very easy to cross-contaminate the kitchen, utensils, and even yourself with this potentially contaminated product.
This recall is a good reminder to not eat batters or doughs made with uncooked flour. Flour is a raw agricultural product and can be contaminated with pathogens just like raw chickens, meat, or produce. E. coli bacteria is only destroyed with heat; that is, baking, frying, sautéing, or boiling products made with flour. Always wash your hands thoroughly with soap and water after working with or handling flour. And never make homemade play dough using uncooked flour; children are particularly susceptible to serious complications from an E. coli infection.
