Aldi recalls flour over possible E coli contamination after 17 people are taken ill

Aldi US has recalled bags of flour after an E coli outbreak caused 17 people to fall ill in eight states.

The budget supermarket has issued a statement recalling its five-pound bags of Baker’s Corner All-Purpose Flour that were made at a facility in Buffalo, New York.

According to a release from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the cases of E coli occurred from December 2018 to April 2019 with those infected ranging between the ages of seven years and 86.

So far, three people have been hospitalised but no deaths have been reported.

The recalled bags are marked with the UPC code 041498130404 and were sold at Aldi stores in 11 different states in the US.

These include Connecticut, Delaware, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont and West Virginia.

E coli cases have been reported in California, Connecticut, Missouri, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Rhode Island.

Otherwise known as Escherichia coli, E coli is a common type of bacteria that’s known for causing an irritable stomach and food poisoning, however, most strains of the bacteria often don't pose a great risk to a person’s health.

Signs that a person may have been infected by E coli bacteria can take approximately three or four days to arise, as stated by the Mayo Clinic, an academic medical centre based in Minnesota.

Symptoms include having diarrhoea, which may either seem mild or contain blood, experiencing painful stomach cramping, feeling nauseous or vomiting.

The centre states that E coli can also cause a number of illnesses including cystitis, urinary tract infections and pneumonia.

It adds that children who have been infected by E coli bacteria may be more at risk of serious illness, as they may be less able to cope with the amount of bodily fluid lost through diarrhoea and vomiting.

According to the NHS, infections that have been caused by E coli bacteria will often subside over the course of a week or so.

However, if an E coli-based illness is particularly severe or lasts for longer than a week, it is advised that you should seek medical advice from a doctor or health professional.

Aldi has advised consumers who purchased the flour to either throw the product away or return it to store for a full refund.

“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,” the company said in a statement.

“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.”

Those with questions have been asked to call ADM Milling Co customer service at 1-800-422-1688.

This isn’t the first time a product has been recalled following an outbreak of E coli.

In November 2018, the CDC warned US consumers not to eat romaine lettuce, including whole heads, salad mixes with romaine, and precut bags of the vegetable after 32 people were taken ill across 11 states.

“Consumers who have any type of romaine lettuce in their home should not eat it and should throw it away, even if some of it was eaten and no one has gotten sick,” the CDC wrote in a a statement.

The CDC continued: “This advice includes all types or uses of romaine lettuce, such as whole heads of romaine, hearts of romaine, and bags and boxes of pre-cut lettuce and salad mixes that contain romaine, including baby romaine, spring mix, and Caesar salad”.