There's a Gold Medal Flour Recall Due to Salmonella Contamination

There’s a flour recall happening right now because some of the baking staples may contain an unwanted ingredient: Salmonella.

General Mills announced on April 28, 2023, that some of their popular Gold Medal flour products are being recalled due to the potential presence of Salmonella Infantis — a type of bacteria that causes nausea, diarrhea, fever, and abdominal pains in healthy people, but can be deadly for at-risk groups. The bacteria was discovered during sampling of the five-pound bags.

We’ll tell you which of the Gold Medal products are part of this food recall, and what to do with the affected flour.

 

Gold Medal flour with a “use by” date of March 27 or 28, 2024, is included in the recall.

Check your pantry; Gold Medal Flour is widely distributed and is sold in many grocery stores and retailers nationwide, including Walmart, Target, Kroger, Safeway, Publix, Albertsons, Meijer, Wegmans, and Whole Foods.

If you have Gold Medal flour, you’ll want to see if your products have the following info on the packaging:

• Gold Medal Unbleached All Purpose 5-lb flour – UPC 000-16000-19610
• Gold Medal Unbleached All Purpose 10-lb flour – UPC 000-16000-19580
• Gold Medal Bleached All Purpose 2-lb flour – UPC 000-16000-10710
• Gold Medal Bleached All Purpose 5-lb flour – UPC 000-16000-10610

Also, the packages have “better if used by” dates of March 27, 2024, and March 28, 2024.

 

If you accidentally used the recalled flour, you’re probably OK.

Salmonella Infantis, the bacteria that was found in the recalled Gold Medal Flour products, is killed by heat through baking, frying, sautéing, or boiling products made with flour. But any products that could be eaten without cooking — things like cookie dough or cake batter — could be a health risk.

Now, if you find that you accidentally used the flour, you’re probably OK if it was properly cooked. But that doesn’t mean you should use it on purpose, because even if you fully cooked the recalled flour, you’re at risk of contracting salmonella by handling the contaminated product (or getting it on your cooking surfaces or utensils). So it’s best to just not mess with it at all.

Note: If you have already used the affected flour and are experiencing symptoms such as nausea, diarrhea, fever, and abdominal pains, contact your healthcare provider for advice. Salmonella Infantis infection symptoms typically start within six hours to six days after infection and last four to seven days.

 

 

If you have any flour products involved in the recall, don’t use them (and get your refund).

If you have purchased any of the recalled Gold Medal flour products, stop using them immediately and dispose of them. And don’t eat any raw products made with the flour.

In most cases, you should be able to return the affected product to the store where you purchased it. Bring the product with you to the store and explain the reason for the return. The store may have specific policies for handling product recalls and may provide additional information about the refund process.

But for best results, General Mills says that instead, you should contact Consumer Relations at 1-800-230-8103 for information and to arrange for a refund.