Continental Mills has announced a recall of its Krusteaz Blueberry Pancake Mix. The recall was initiated due to concerns that the product may be contaminated with E. coli O121, a highly virulent strain of the bacteria.
E. coli Contamination Concerns and the General Mills Outbreak
The recall notice, which has been posted on the US Food and Drug Administration website, cites concerns that the mix may be contaminated with E. coli O121: “the company was notified by [its] supplier that [its] product, a blueberry nugget, is made with a small percentage of affected flour which was recalled by General Mills because it may be contaminated with E. coli O121.
General Mills flour has been linked to an ongoing outbreak of E. coli O121 that has sickened at least 42 people in 21 different states. 11 of the 42 confirmed cases required hospitalization due to the severity of the illness involved; however, no cases of E. coli-linked kidney failure have occurred and no deaths associated with the outbreak have been reported.
States involved in the outbreak include Alabama, Arkansas, Arizona, California, Colorado, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Massachusetts, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, New York, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Texas, Virginia, and Washington.
Recall Details: Products, Best By Dates and UPC Codes
The recalled product was distributed nationwide, “where consumers purchased product through retail stores,” according to the company’s notice. Two products are implicated in the recall:
- Krusteaz Blueberry Pancake Mix 28 oz. (Carton)
- Best By Dates between 3/30/2018 and 6/16/2018
- UPC Code 041449001289
and
- Krusteaz Blueberry Pancake Mix 3.5 lb. (Bag)
- Best By Dates between 4/27/2018 and 4/28/2018
- UPC Code 041449001487
Krusteaz Blueberry Pancake Mix is the only Continental Mills product involved in the recall, and the company stresses that no illnesses linked to the blueberry pancake mix have been reported to date.
