Consumers here in Ohio and elsewhere expect the food they buy to be free from anything that could cause them harm. Sadly, manufacturers recall far too many foods due to contamination with something that may result in an illness that could turn serious or even deadly. One of the latest food recalls comes from General Mills regarding 5-pound bags of flour. It is possible that the company could face product liability claims if anyone suffers harm as a result of ingesting the flour.
The company’s Gold Medal Unbleached All Purpose Flour sold in 5-pound bags with a “best used by” date of Sept. 6, 2020, could contain E.Coli O26. This particular strain of the bacterium can cause death to anyone with a compromised immune system, the elderly or the young. It ordinarily causes dehydration and bloody diarrhea.
Heat can kill this particular bacterium, so the Food and Drug Administration took this opportunity to remind consumers not to ingest raw recipes made with flour. In fact, the warning goes on to say that surfaces, hands and anything else the flour touched should be thoroughly cleaned. As for the tainted flour, General Mills urges consumers to check their flour and discard it if it is the flour in question.
Just because the company has yet to hear of any illnesses resulting from the flour does not mean it will not happen. When products harm individuals, the victims can incur significant medical expenses and other losses in connection therewith, and those financial losses could wreak havoc on an individual or family. Any Ohio residents who purchased the product in question and became ill may have cause to file a product liability claim.
