MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. - General Mills has announced a recall of ten million pounds of flour products possibly linked to a multi-state outbreak of E. coli.

The twenty state recall involves Gold Medal flour, Wondra flour, and Signature Kitchens flour (sold in Safeway, Albertsons, Jewel, Shaws, Vons, United, Randalls, and Acme).

In a press release issued on Tuesday, the company said that to date, E. coli O121 has not been found in any General Mills flour products or in the flour manufacturing facility, and the company has not been contacted directly by any consumer reporting confirmed illnesses related to these products.

State and federal authorities have been researching 38 occurrences of illnesses across 20 states related to a specific type of E. coli (E. coli O121), between December 21, 2015, and May 3, 2016.

Although most strains of E. coli are harmless, others can make you sick. E. coli O121 is a potentially deadly bacterium that can cause bloody diarrhea and dehydration. Seniors, the very young, and persons with compromised immune systems are the most susceptible to foodborne illness.

More information about E. coli can be found by following this link.

Any consumers concerned about an illness should contact a physician. Anyone diagnosed by a physician as having an illness related to E. coli O121 is also urged to contact state and local public health authorities.

While attempting to track the cause of the illness, CDC found that approximately half of the individuals reported making something homemade with flour at some point prior to becoming ill. Some reported using a General Mills brand of flour.

Based on the information that has been shared with General Mills, some of the ill consumers may have also consumed raw dough or batter.

Consumers are reminded to not consume any raw products made with flour. Flour is an ingredient that comes from milling wheat, something grown outdoors that carries with it risks of bacteria which are rendered harmless by baking, frying or boiling.

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 recall affects the following retail flour products that could be currently in stores or in consumers’ pantries.

It includes six SKUs (stock keeping units or UPC codes) of Gold Medal flour, 2 SKU’s of Signature Kitchens flour and 1 SKU of Gold Medal Wondra flour.

If you have any of the products listed below, they should not be used.

The specific products in the recall include:

• 13.5 ounce Gold Medal Wondra Package UPC 000-16000-18980. Better if Used by Dates 25FEB2017 thru 30MAR2017
• 2 pound Gold Medal All Purpose Flour Package UPC 000-16000-10710. Better if Used by Dates 25MAY2017KC thru 03JUN2017KC
• 5 pound Gold Medal All Purpose Flour Package UPC 000-16000-10610. Better if Used by Dates 25MAY2017KC, 27MAY2017KC thru 31MAY2017KC, 01JUN2017KC, 03JUN2017KC thru 05JUN2017KC, 11JUN2017KC thru 14JUN2017KC
• 10 pound Gold Medal All Purpose Flour Package UPC 000-16000-10410. Better if Used by Dates 02JUN2017KC,03JUN2017KC
• 10 pound Gold Medal All Purpose Flour- Banded Pack Package UPC 000-16000-10410. Better if Used by Dates 03JUN2017KC, 04JUN2017KC, 05JUN2017KC
• 5 pound Gold Medal Unbleached Flour Package UPC 000-16000-19610. Better if Used by Dates 25MAY2017KC, 27MAY2017KC, 03JUN2017KC, 04JUN2017KC
• 5 pound Signature Kitchens All Purpose Flour Enriched Bleached Package UPC 000-21130-53001. Better if Used by Dates BB MAY 28 2017
• 5 pound Signature Kitchens Unbleached Flour All Purpose Enriched Package UPC 000-21130-53022. Better if Used by Dates BB MAY 27 2017
• 2 pound Gold MedalSelf Rising Flour Package UPC 000-16000-11710. Better if Used by Dates 23AUG2016KC

Consumers, are advised to visit this page to ask additional questions of the General Mills consumer relations team or you can also call 1-800-230-8103

For additional information on this recall, visit the General Mills blog.

General Mills offered further safety tips related to flour:

• Flour comes from milling wheat, grown outdoors where bacteria are often present. Flour is a raw ingredient that is intended to be cooked or baked. While it is rare for individuals to get sick from flour, it is possible.
• Raw dough or batter should not be eaten – no matter how tempting. Children should not be provided raw dough to play with (including at restaurants) unless they are carefully supervised and wash their hands afterwards. Young children frequently like to put things in their mouth or ‘taste’ things, and they are particularly susceptible to getting sick from food borne illnesses.
• Bacteria found in raw flour are eliminated by normal cooking, baking, frying, or boiling products made with flour. Bacteria is commonly found in flour at low levels because flour comes from milling wheat, something that is grown outdoors where bacteria are often present.
• All surfaces, hands and utensils should be properly cleaned after contact with flour or dough. Surfaces dusted with flour to roll dough for example, should be properly cleaned after use.