Betty Crocker and Krusteaz products hit by General Mills E.coli flour recall

11-Jul-2016 - Last updated on 12-Jul-2016 at 11:05 GMT

Betty Crocker and Krusteaz mixes have been recalled

General Mills’ recall of millions of pounds of flour linked with an E. coli outbreak has now impacted other retail products – including some of the firm’s own Betty Crocker cake mixes.

Two flavors of Betty Crocker mixes – two sold in the US and one in Canada – have been pulled from shelves, as has a Krusteaz Blueberry Pancake Mix produced by Continental Mills.

The alerts follow the recall of Gold Medal, Wondra and Signature Kitchens brand flour produced by General Mills at its plant in Kansas City, Missouri. An initial flour recall in May was extended on July 1 to include other date codes.

The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said the flour is the ‘likely’ source of the multistate outbreak of E. coli that has caused 42 people to fall ill from Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli O121 (STEC O121) infections. Cases have been reported in 21 US states, with 11 of the ill people being hospitalized, although none have developed kidney failure and no deaths have been reported.

It is believed the illnesses are a result of consumers eating raw dough or batter, and the CDC and US Food and Drug Administration have urged the public not to eat raw products made with flour.

General Mills this week said it was recalling two flavors of Betty Crocker mixes after one of its suppliers used Wondra flour implicated in the July 1 recall to manufacture the flavor chips or bits used in the mixes.

The affected products are:

Betty Crocker Delights Super Moist Party Rainbow Chip Cake Mix (US)

UPC 000-16000-40997
Recalled Better if Used by Date 25MAR2017, 28MAR2017, 27APR2017, 28APR2017, 23MAY2017, 24MAY2017, 25MAY2017

Betty Crocker Delights Super Moist Carrot Cake Mix (US)

UPC 000-16000-40987
Recalled Better if Used by Dates 12APR2017, 13APR2017, 14APR2017, 28MAY2017, 29MAY2017, 30MAY2017, 07JUL2017, 08JUL2017

Betty Crocker Super Moist Rainbow Bit Cake Mix (Canada)

UPC 000-65633-46589
Recalled Better if Used by Dates 27AL2017, 08JN2017, 09JN2017

General Mills added it was continuing to work with health officials to investigate the E. coli O121 outbreak.

Meanwhile, Washington-based Continental Mills has recalled specific lots of its Krusteaz brand Blueberry Pancake Mix after being notified by its supplier that a blueberry nugget in the mix contains a “small percentage” of the flour recalled by General Mills.

The affected products are:

Krusteaz Blueberry Pancake Mix 28 oz. carton

UPC 041449001289
Best by date code between 3/30/2018 and 6/16/2018

Krusteaz Blueberry Pancake a 3.5 lb. bag

UPC 041449001487
Best by date code between of 4/27/2018 to 4/28/2018, with a

The products were distributed nationwide through retail stores, and Continental Mills said it was working with its retail customers and the FDA to ensure any affected product is removed from the marketplace immediately.

"The quality and safety of our products is of the utmost importance and we are doing everything possible to ensure our customers have all of the pertinent information," said Continental Mills president Andy Heily.