UTAH, May 1, 2024 (Gephardt Daily) — Organic walnuts from a California grower that were distributed to health food and co-op stores in 19 states have been linked to serious cases of E. coli illness, federal officials reported.
And Utah is one of those states.
So far, 12 people have been sickened, with seven requiring hospitalization, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration said. Six cases have been identified in California, and six more in Washington state. No deaths have been reported.
Utah stores appearing on the FDA list of stores that received the walnuts, since recalled, are Liberty Heights Fresh, at 1290 S. 1100 East, in Salt Lake City; and Redmond Food Store, at 445 N. 2000 West, Springville.
The walnuts were produced and distributed by Gibson Farms of Hollister, Calif., and are often sold from bulk bins in stores, although some may have been repackaged, the FDA said.
Besides Utah, the walnuts were sold in Alaska, Arkansas, Arizona, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Idaho, Kansas, Louisiana, Montana, Nebraska, New Mexico, Nevada, Oregon, South Dakota, Texas, Washington and Wyoming.
“State and local public health officials have interviewed people about the foods they ate in the week before they became ill,” the FDA information says. “Of the 10 people interviewed, all 10 [100%] reported eating walnuts, and almost all reported buying organic walnuts from bulk bins in food co-ops or natural food stores.”
Gibson Farms issued the company recall on Saturday.
“Retailers and distributors that purchased recalled boxes of Gibson Farms, Inc. organic walnuts halves and pieces with lot codes 3325-043 and 3341-501 should not sell this product and should notify their customers of the recall,” the FDA said.
“Consumers who purchased organic walnut halves and pieces from bulk bins at stores listed below should check their pantries, refrigerators and freezers and should not eat the organic walnuts halves and pieces,” the FDA said. “If you have these products in your home, do not eat or use them, throw them away and clean and sanitize surfaces they touched.”
E. coli is a serious gastrointestinal bacterial infection that can trigger severe stomach cramps, diarrhea, fever, nausea, and/or vomiting. Symptoms typically begin within a few days of consuming tainted food.
In some cases, E. coli can lead to bloody stools and “a type of kidney failure called hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS), or the development of high blood pressure, chronic kidney disease and neurologic problems,” the FDA statement says.
