Walnuts Recalled From Whole Foods After E. Coli Outbreak

A California company is recalling organic nuts sold at health food stores and cooperative retailers in 19 states due to an outbreak of E. coli. coli that sickened 12 people and hospitalized seven people, federal officials said.

Gibson Farms, the Hollister, Calif.-based company, is voluntarily recalling its shelled walnuts under the brand Organic Light Halves and Pieces after discovering that the nuts may carry the E. coli 0157:H7 strain that “often causes diarrheal illness.” accompanied by bloody stools. ” the Food and Drug Administration said in a statement Tuesday.

The recall came after the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention notified the company of 12 recorded illnesses linked to nuts. They were distributed to more than 300 food retailers, including Whole Foods Market, New Seasons Market and Rosauers Supermarkets, the FDA said.

An investigation is underway to determine the potential source of the contamination, the FDA said. The company did not immediately respond to inquiries Wednesday.

Symptoms of E. coli may vary from person to person and may include cramps, diarrhea, or gastrointestinal upset. Other common symptoms include vomiting and fever. People start experiencing symptoms three to four days after ingesting foods or drinks containing E. coli bacteria, according to the CDC.

A Whole Foods spokesperson said the recalled nuts were shipped to 10 of their Whole Foods Market stores in Arkansas, Louisiana and Texas and used only as an ingredient in a salad offered at those stores’ salad bars. The salad was removed from salad bars and the recalled nuts were immediately destroyed, the spokesperson said.

A spokesperson for New Seasons Market said the grocery chain “quickly removed the affected product” from its shelves, adding that it also “placed signs in the affected sections to alert consumers who may have ‘buy”.

This particular strain of E. coli is associated with a toxin called Shiga that can cause bloody diarrhea and “for a small number of people, can cause severe illness,” said Dr. Richard Ellison, an epidemiologist at UMass Memorial Medical Center in Worcester, Massachusetts. ., said Wednesday.

Although most healthy adults recover completely within a week, some people can develop a form of kidney failure called hemolytic uremic syndrome, which is more likely to occur in young children and older adults, said the FDA in its opinion.

Dr. Ellison said about 90 percent of people will recover on their own without the need for antibiotics, and about 10 percent will develop an illness that can cause anemia and kidney damage.

“In general, we recommend providing supportive care and keeping people well hydrated,” he added.

Consumers who experience symptoms should contact their health care providers to receive care, the FDA said.

So far, people who have gotten sick in the outbreak have been in California and Washington state. No deaths have been reported.

The lightweight organic halves and pieces were sold in 25-pound bulk bins, according to the FDA. The expiration dates for the affected product are between May 21, 2025 and June 7, 2025, the agency said.

A list of stores where the nuts were sold can be found on the FDA website.

Consumers who purchased the nuts in bulk containers should check their pantries, refrigerators and freezers and “do not eat or use them,” the FDA said. They must also “clean and disinfect surfaces” that came into contact with the product, the agency said.

Retailers who received the recalled products should throw away the nuts and disinfect the bins before refilling them, the FDA said.