General Mills issues voluntary recall of popular flour brand

MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. (CNN) — Select bags of Gold Medal flour are being voluntarily recalled by manufacturer General Mills for the possible presence of salmonella, according to a company announcement posted on the US Food and Drug Administration’s website.

Salmonella was detected during a sampling of the 5-pound bag of the product, the company said.

The bags of two-, five- and 10-pound bleached and unbleached all-purpose flour have a “better if used by” date of March 27, 2024, and March 28, 2024, General Mills said.

“All other types of Gold Medal Flour are not affected by this recall,” the company said in the announcement.

Most flour is raw and hasn’t been treated to kill germs that cause food poisoning, according to the CDC. Salmonella bacteria dies when it is cooked or baked, but people can get sick when eating or tasting foods that include raw flour. Raw dough used for crafts and play clay also pose a risk.

In a statement, Mollie Wulff, spokesperson at General Mills, said: “We are continuing to educate consumers that flour is not a ‘ready to eat’ ingredient. Anything made with flour must be cooked or baked before eating.

Symptoms of a salmonella infection include diarrhea, fever and stomach cramps that can start within hours or days of consuming the bacteria. Most people will recover with treatment; however, if they have severe symptoms, symptoms that don’t improve after a few days or signs of dehydration, they should seek immediate attention from a health care provider.