Elevated risk U.S. Food and Drug Administration

King Arthur Flour Unbleached All-Purpose Flour recall: E. coli O26

Recall published 7+ years ago

E. coli O26

King Arthur Flour Grains & cereal — recalled grains & cerealKing Arthur Flour Grains & cereal — recalled grains & cereal (photo 2)King Arthur Flour Grains & cereal — recalled grains & cereal (photo 3)
3 photos published by U.S. Food and Drug Administration with the recall notice.

The hazard: E. coli contamination

This is an E. coli recall. It takes very few of these bacteria to cause illness, so a small taste is not a safe test.

What the notice says: However, children, the elderly, and immunosuppressed individuals may develop hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS), a severe illness which may cause the kidneys to fail.

Why it matters: Shiga toxin-producing E. coli causes a more severe illness than most food poisoning, and in a minority of cases it damages the kidneys. Very small numbers of bacteria are enough to make someone ill.

Symptoms and when to call a doctor

The CDC describes symptoms as severe stomach cramps, diarrhoea that is often bloody, and vomiting, typically starting three to four days after exposure. Most people get better within a week. A small proportion — most often young children and older adults — develop haemolytic uraemic syndrome, a form of kidney failure that needs hospital treatment. Call a doctor for bloody diarrhoea, diarrhoea lasting more than three days, a fever above 102°F, vomiting that prevents you keeping liquids down, or signs of dehydration. The CDC advises against taking anti-diarrhoeal medicine for a suspected E. coli infection unless a doctor tells you to.

This page is general information, not medical advice. If you feel unwell, a clinician who can see you is the only person able to judge your case.

Recall details

Published
October 3, 2019
Risk level
Elevated risk
Issued by
U.S. Food and Drug Administration
Brand
King Arthur Flour
Product type
Grains & cereal
Distribution
Nationwide
UPC codes
071012010509, 071012012503

Products covered by this recall

Unbleached All-Purpose Flour

What the company announced

In association with ADM Milling Company, King Arthur Flour, Inc., announced today a voluntary national recall of specific lots of its Unbleached All-Purpose Flour (5 lb. & 25 lb.)

We are taking this voluntary precautionary step because of the potential presence of E. coli 026 which was discovered through sampling. King Arthur Flour has not received any confirmed reports of illnesses related to this product.

This flour was milled at an ADM Milling facility in Buffalo, NY, and was distributed by King Arthur Flour through retailers and distributors nationwide, and sold through our website, catalogue, and store in Norwich, VT.

The only product affected by this voluntary recall is our Unbleached All-Purpose Flour (5 lb. & 25 lb.) from the Best Used by Dates and Lot Codes listed below.

King Arthur Flour Unbleached All-Purpose Flour 5 lb. UPC: 071012010509

  • Best Used By:: 12/04/19 · Lot Code: L18A04A
  • Best Used By:: 12/05/19 · Lot Code: L18A05A, L18A05B, L18A05C
  • Best Used By:: 12/09/19 · Lot Code: L18A09B
  • Best Used By:: 12/10/19 · Lot Code: L18A10A
  • Best Used By:: 12/13/19 · Lot Code: L18A13B, L18A13C
  • Best Used By:: 12/20/19 · Lot Code: L18A20A, L18A20B, L18A20C
  • Best Used By:: 12/21/19 · Lot Code: L18A21A
  • Best Used By:: 12/27/19 · Lot Code: L18A27A, L18A27B, L18A27C
  • Best Used By:: 12/28/19 · Lot Code: L18A28A
  • Best Used By:: 01/02/20 · Lot Code: A19A02B, A19A02C
  • Best Used By:: 01/03/20 · Lot Code: A19A03A, A19A03B, A19A03C
  • Best Used By:: 01/05/20 · Lot Code: A19A05A, A19A05B
  • Best Used By:: 01/07/20 · Lot Code: A19A07B, A19A07C
  • Best Used By:: 01/08/20 · Lot Code: A19A08B
  • Best Used By:: 01/09/20 · Lot Code: A19A09B
  • Best Used By:: 01/10/20 · Lot Code: A19A10B
  • Best Used By:: 01/12/20 · Lot Code: A19A12A
  • Best Used By:: 01/14/20 · Lot Code: A19A14A, A19A14B, A19A14C
  • Best Used By:: 01/15/20 · Lot Code: A19A15A, A19A15B

Best Used By and Lot Code information can be found on the bottom of the ingredient side panel of the 5 lb. Bag. Best Used By date and Lot Code, along with their location on the bag, must all match in order to represent flour affected by this recall.

  • King Arthur Flour Unbleached All-Purpose Flour 25 lb. UPC: 071012012503 Costco only: Best Used By: 12/04/19, 12/10/19, 12/20/19, 01/07/20, 01/15/20

This is an expansion of a recall announced June 13, 2019. The Lot Codes listed above join the previously voluntarily recalled Lot Codes on June 13:

https://www.fda.gov/safety/recalls-market-withdrawals-safety-alerts/association-adm-milling-co-king-arthur-flour-inc-voluntarily-recalls-limited-quantity-unbleached-all

Consumers who have any of these affected products should throw them away and may submit a claim for a refund or replacement at kingarthurflour.com/voluntaryrecall , or by calling our King Arthur Flour Consumer Hotline at 866-797-9178.

Consumer safety is our top priority. 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. The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) warns consumers to not consume raw products made with flour. E. coli O26 is killed by heat through baking, frying, sautéing, or boiling products made with flour.

For more information, refer to the following: https://www.cdc.gov/features/no-raw-dough/index.html .

Symptoms of E. coli O26 illness include acute, often bloody diarrheal illness and abdominal cramps. Most people recover within a week. However, children, the elderly, and immunosuppressed individuals may develop hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS), a severe illness which may cause the kidneys to fail.

Bakers have trusted King Arthur Flour products in their kitchens for over 225 years and because of that trust we have issued this voluntary recall. We remain committed to providing our consumers safe and superior products.

This information can be found online at kingarthurflour.com/voluntaryrecall. Consumers with any questions regarding this recall or King Arthur Flour products are encouraged to call the King Arthur Flour Consumer Hotline at 866-797-9178.

Expanded Press Release

Reproduced from the company announcement posted on fda.gov. Links and contact forms in the original are not repeated here; the official notice below has them.

Check your product

The notice names 24 codes you can read straight off the package. Type the one printed on yours and the list below narrows to it.

UPC / barcode

Read the twelve digits under the barcode on the package.

  • 071012010509
  • 071012012503

Lot or batch code

Usually ink-stamped near the seam, the cap or the bottom of the pack.

  • L18A04A
  • L18A05A
  • L18A05B
  • L18A05C
  • L18A09B
  • L18A10A
  • L18A13B
  • L18A13C
  • L18A20A
  • L18A20B
  • L18A20C
  • L18A21A
  • L18A27A
  • L18A27B
  • L18A27C
  • L18A28A
  • A19A02B
  • A19A02C
  • A19A03A
  • A19A03B

Package size

Match the net weight or the piece count on the front of the pack.

  • 5 lb
  • 25 lb

Codes are lifted verbatim from the FDA — Company recall announcements notice. A code that is missing here may still be covered — the official notice is the complete list.

What to do about E. coli

King Arthur Flour — This is an E. coli recall. It takes very few of these bacteria to cause illness, so a small taste is not a safe test.

  1. Stop eating it now and keep it away from children.
  2. Keep an eye on young children for a week after exposure, including after the diarrhoea stops, because kidney complications appear late.
  3. Seal it in a bag and throw it out, or return it to the store for a refund.
  4. Wash hands, utensils, boards and counters that touched it with hot soapy water — cross-contamination is how most secondary cases happen.

How to get your money back

Food recalls carry a full refund, and in the United States you usually do not need the receipt or the packaging.

  • Take the product, or your photo of the label, to the customer service desk of the store where you bought it. Nearly every national grocer refunds recalled food on the spot.
  • Bought it online? Open the order in your account and use the refund option; marketplace sellers are required to honour a federal recall.
  • If the store refuses, contact the recalling company using the details on this page. The firm, not the shop, carries the cost of a recall.
  • If you have a loyalty card, the retailer can look the purchase up in your history — Kroger, Costco and Walmart all do this routinely.

Remedy named in the notice: Consumers who have any of these affected products should throw them away and may submit a claim for a refund or replacement at kingarthurflour.com/voluntaryrecall , or by calling our King Arthur Flour Consumer Hotline at 866-797-9178.

Company contact: King Arthur Flour, Inc. — Consumers: King Arthur Flour Consumer Hotline, 866-797-9178, [email protected] — Media: 802-299-2244, [email protected]

The official notice

This page summarises a notice published by U.S. Food and Drug Administration. The agency notice is the authoritative version — read it before you act, and treat it as the final word if anything here looks different.

Open the FDA — Company recall announcements record U.S. Food and Drug Administration recalls

Questions people ask about this recall

Why was King Arthur Flour grains & cereal recalled?

E. coli O26 However, children, the elderly, and immunosuppressed individuals may develop hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS), a severe illness which may cause the kidneys to fail.

How do I know if I have the recalled product?

Match the codes printed on your package against the notice: UPC 071012010509, 071012012503; lot code L18A04A, L18A05A, L18A05B. If the code on your package is not on that list, your unit is outside the recall.

What should I do with it right now?

Stop eating it now and keep it away from children.

Can I get my money back?

The notice says: Consumers who have any of these affected products should throw them away and may submit a claim for a refund or replacement at kingarthurflour.com/voluntaryrecall , or by calling our King Arthur Flour Consumer Hotline at 866-797-9178.

Where was the recalled product sold?

It was distributed nationwide.

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