United States: Walnuts organically produced by a grower in California are implicated as the supplier of the harmful E. coli strains to various health food and co-op stores in 19 states associated with a series of serious diseases reported by federal officials on Tuesday.
Several infection cases were reported
For now, twelve people have contracted the infection, and the condition of seven deteriorated to critical levels, due to which they had to be hospitalized, according to the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
Six new cases of coronavirus have been detected in the states of California and Washington. However, no case of death has been reported.
More about the origin of contaminated walnuts
The walnuts were produced and shipped out by Gibson Farms from Hollister, Calif., and the nuts were regularly stored in bins where the consumer could scoop them loose in stores. Some products might have packaged the shelled walnut halves and pieces into plastic clamshell packaging or bags.
The walnuts were sold in 19 states: Idaho, Wyoming, Texas, California(CA), Oregon, North Dakota, Arizona, Nevada, Utah, Alaska, New Mexico, Montana, Kansas, Louisiana, Washington, South Dakota, Colorado, and Arkansas.
At the scene of the outbreak, the FDA investigators traced back the cross-contamination to Gibson Farms. Within two days of the outbreak, the farm declared a recall for all its products.
Six cases have been identified in California and Washington. There have been no deaths reported.
FDA stated, “State and local public health officials had interviewed people about the foods they ate in the week before they became ill,” and “Of the ten 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.”
FDA officials conducted investigations after the news of outbreak took place back to Gibson Farms, which issued a company recall on April 27.
FDA states, “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,” as US News reported.
According to the FDA, retail stores must contact their suppliers if any case of uncertainty is observed about whether they received the tainted walnuts.
FDA states, “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 walnut halves and pieces,” as US News reported.
Further added, “If you have these products in your home, do not eat or use them, throw them away and clean and sanitize surfaces they touched.”
More about E. Coli
A very serious gastrointestinal bacterial infection is E. Coli, which can even trigger a high degree of stomach cramps, diarrhea, fever, nausea, and/or vomiting.
Moreover, such signs generally start within a few days of consuming tainted food.
As per the FDA warning, in some of the cases, E. coli even causes 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.”