DOVER — Bakers might do well to check their pantries.
The Delaware Division of Public Health is advising Delawareans of a voluntary recall of flour products produced between Nov. 14, 2015, and Dec. 4, 2015.
The products are sold under three brand names: Gold Medal Flour, Signature Kitchens Flour and Gold Medal Wondra Flour.
The varieties include unbleached, all-purpose and self-rising flours that may be contaminated with Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli O121 (STEC O121).
No illnesses associated with the products have been reported in Delaware.
However, the Division of Public Health encourages consumers to check their pantries for these products, and to discard or return them to the store where they were purchased.
The Federal Drug Administration warns against eating raw dough products made with any brand of flour or baking mix before cooking. Consumers should practice safe food handling and preparation measures when handling flour.
The FDA recommends following these safe food-handling practices to stay healthy:
• Do not eat or play with any raw cookie dough or any other raw dough product made with flour intended to be cooked or baked.
• Follow package directions on baking mixes and other flour-containing products for proper cooking temperatures and for specified times.
• Wash hands, work surfaces, and utensils thoroughly after contact with raw dough products containing flour.
• Keep raw foods separate from other foods while preparing them to prevent any contamination that might be present from spreading.
The recalled products were sold in Safeway, Albertsons, Jewel, Shaws, Vons, United, Randalls and Acme.
The division’s Health Systems Protection’s Office of Food Protection has confirmed the products have been removed from Acme and Super G shelves in Delaware.
The products were not shipped to Eastern Shore Safeway stores.
The recalled UPC codes and better if used by dates of the affected products are:
• 13.5 ounce Gold Medal Wondra (Package UPC 000-16000-18980; dates: 25FEB2017 thru 30MAR2017)
•2 pound Gold Medal All Purpose Flour (Package UPC 000-16000-10710; dates: 25MAY2017KC through 03JUN2017KC)
• 5 pound Gold Medal All Purpose Flour (Package UPC 000-16000-10610; dates: 25MAY2017KC, 27MAY2017KC thru 31MAY2017KC, 01JUN2017KC, 03JUN2017KC thru 05JUN2017KC, 11JUN2017KC thru 14JUN2017KC)
• 10 pound Gold Medal All Purpose Flour (Package UPC 000-16000-10410; dates: 02JUN2017KC, 03JUN2017KC)
• 10 pound Gold Medal All Purpose Flour – Banded Pack (Package UPC 000-16000-10410; dates: 03JUN2017KC, 04JUN2017KC, 05JUN2017KC)
• 5 pound Gold Medal Unbleached Flour (Package UPC 000-16000-19610; dates: 25MAY2017KC, 27MAY2017KC, 03JUN2017KC, 04JUN2017KC)
• 5 pound Signature Kitchens All Purpose Flour Enriched Bleached (Package UPC 000-21130-53001; dates: BB MAY 28 2017)
• 5 pound Signature Kitchens Unbleached Flour All Purpose Enriched (Package UPC 000-21130-53022; dates: BB MAY 27 2017)
• 2 pound Gold Medal Self-Rising Flour (Package UPC 000-16000-11710; dates: 23AUG2016KC)
People usually get sick from STEC O121 two to eight days (average of three to four days) after swallowing the bacteria.
Most people develop diarrhea (often bloody) and abdominal cramps. Most people recover within a week.
If you or a member of your family has consumed (or believe that you have consumed) one of the recalled products and are experiencing any of the symptoms above, seek medical attention.
For questions regarding the recalled products, contact the General Mills Consumer Hotline at (800) 230-8103.