Foodborne Illnesses / Salmonella /

Gold Medal Flour linked to Salmonella Infantis Outbreak

Case Counts

Total Illnesses: 13
Hospitalizations: 3
Deaths: 0
Last Illness Onset: March 1, 2023
States with Cases: CA (1), IL (2), IA (1), MN (1), MO (1), NE (1), NJ (1), NY (1), OH (1), OR (1), TN (1), VA (1)
Product Distribution: Nationwide

The FDA and CDC, in collaboration with state and local partners, are investigating an outbreak of Salmonella Infantis infections linked to Gold Medal brand flour produced by General Mills of Minneapolis, MN.

Based on epidemiological data collected by CDC, five of nine cases report exposure to raw Gold Medal brand flour and seven of eight cases report consuming raw dough or batter. FDA’s traceback investigation identified a single production facility of the flour consumed by patients. FDA initiated an inspection at the General Mills Kansas City, MO facility and collected retain product samples. One sample was found to be positive for Salmonella, and subsequent analysis by Whole Genome Sequencing (WGS) found that the Salmonella in the positive sample matched the strain of Salmonella making people sick in this outbreak.

On April 28, 2023, General Mills announced a voluntary nationwide recall of two-, five- and 10-pound bags of its Gold Medal Unbleached and Bleached All Purpose Flour with a “better if used by” date of March 27, 2024, and March 28, 2024. This recall affects two date codes of Gold Medal Unbleached All Purpose Flour in the five- and ten-pound bags and two date codes of Gold Medal Bleached All Purpose Flour in the two- and five-pound bags.

No other types of Gold Medal Flour are affected by this recall at this time.

The investigation is ongoing to determine the source of contamination and whether additional products are linked to illnesses. FDA will update this advisory should additional consumer safety information become available.

Case Count Map Provided by CDC

Recalled Products

General Mills issued a voluntary nationwide recall of two-, five- and 10-pound bags of its Gold Medal Unbleached and Bleached All Purpose Flour with a “Better if Used By” date of March 27, 2024, and March 28, 2024. No other types of Gold Medal Flour are affected by this recall at this time.

This voluntary recall includes the following code dates currently in stores or consumers’ pantries, all with “Better if Used by” dates of 27MAR2024 and 28MAR2024:

ProductPackage UPC
Gold Medal Unbleached All Purpose 5LB Flour000-16000-19610
Gold Medal Unbleached All Purpose 10LB Flour000-16000-19580
Gold Medal Bleached All Purpose 2LB Flour000-16000-10710
Gold Medal Bleached All Purpose 5LB Flour000-16000-10610

Product Images

If you or a family member became ill with a Salmonella infection, including Reactive Arthritis or Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), after consuming food and you’re interested in pursuing a legal claim, contact the Marler Clark Salmonella attorneys for a free case evaluation.

On March 30, 2023, the CDC along with public health officials in several states, and the FDA, announced a multistate outbreak of Salmonella Infantis. After examining the epidemiological data, it became clear that contaminated flour is making people sick, resulting in Salmonella Infantis infections. At this time no specific brand of flour has been identified, but investigators are collecting more samples to be able to positively link them to the illnesses. Of those who became ill, three were hospitalized. No deaths have been reported at this time.

Salmonella in Raw Flour

Of those who became ill, most reported eating raw cookie dough or batter that contained flour. Flour as it is sold in stores is considered a raw (unbaked) product. Salmonella is killed when flour included in dough or batter is cooked. It is important for parents to be aware that handling or tasting raw dough or batter can expose children to Salmonella and put them at risk of infection.

Marler Clark, Inc., P.S., The Food Safety Law Firm, is the nation’s leading law firm representing victims of Salmonella outbreaks. The Salmonella lawyers of Marler Clark have represented thousands of victims of Salmonella and other foodborne illness outbreaks and have recovered over $850 million for clients. Marler Clark is the only law firm in the nation with a practice focused exclusively on foodborne illness litigation. Our Salmonella lawyers have litigated Salmonella cases stemming from outbreaks traced to a variety of foods, such as cantaloupe, tomatoes, ground turkey, salami, sprouts, cereal, peanut butter, and food served in restaurants. The law firm has brought Salmonella lawsuits against such companies as Cargill, ConAgra, Peanut Corporation of America, Sheetz, Taco Bell, Subway and Wal-Mart.

Marler Clark has represented countless Salmonella victims and is the only firm in the nation with a practice focused exclusively on plaintiff foodborne illness litigation.

If you or a family member became ill with a Salmonella infection, including Reactive Arthritis or Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), after consuming food and you’re interested in pursuing a legal claim, contact the Marler Clark Salmonella attorneys for a free case evaluation. You can fill out the contact form or call toll-free at 800-884-9840.

Salmonella outbreaks and recalls

August 23, 2023

Listeria outbreak: Three die after drinking contaminated milkshakes

Three people have died, and three others are in hospital after drinking milkshakes contaminated with listeria bacteria in the US state of Washington, health officials…

July 12, 2023

2011 Listeria Outbreak Linked to Cantaloupes: A History

A total of 148 persons infected with any of the five (5) outbreak-associated strains of Listeria monocytogenes were reported to CDC from 28 states. The…

May 20, 2023

A Quick Look at the 2018 Hepatitis A Outbreak

Litigation proceeded in a Virginia state court against Tropical Smoothie and the strawberry supply chain. There were 134 people with hepatitis A reported from nine…

  • View all