Washington State Department of Health (WA DOH) is advising residents not to consume organic walnut halves and pieces produced by Gibson Farms, and sold in supermarket bulk containers in the Western U.S. including Bellingham Community Food Co-op stores.
In collaboration with local and state partners, the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is investigating an ongoing outbreak of E. coli linked to Gibson Farms products. The FDA is working with the company and its distributors to determine the source of the contamination. So far, there have been 6 confirmed cases associated with the E. coli outbreak in Washington state.
Full list of store names and locations (FDA)
Advice for consumers
Check your pantries, refrigerators, and freezers for organic walnut halves and pieces purchased from bulk containers. Stores may repackage bulk walnut halves and pieces into plastic clamshells or bags.
- If you have organic walnut halves and pieces purchased from bulk containers:
- Check to see if the store where you bought them received the recalled walnuts
- You can also ask the store where you bought the walnuts if they sold the recalled walnuts.
- If you purchased walnuts that are part of the recall or if you can’t tell if your walnuts are part of the recall:
- Discard the walnuts and don’t eat them.
- Wash surfaces and containers that may have touched the walnuts using hot soapy water or a dishwasher.
- Contact your healthcare provider right away if you have any of these severe E. coli symptoms:
- Diarrhea that lasts for more than 3 days and/or accompanied by a fever
- Severe stomach cramps and bloody diarrhea
- Vomiting and unable to keep down liquids, plus passing very little urine
- Signs of dehydration, such as:
- Decreased urine output (Not peeing much)
- Dry mouth and throat
- Feeling dizzy when standing up
Local, state, and federal partners continue to investigate the source of illness for outbreak-related cases, and additional products may be recalled or identified as a possible source of infection in the future.
If you are a consumer or retailer with questions about the recall, please contact the Whatcom County Health & Community Services Food Safety Program at [email protected].
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