Tuesday, April 30, 2024 | 2:33 p.m.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has issued a food safety alert for bulk organic walnuts linked to a multistate E. coli outbreak.
The CDC said Gibson Farms, Inc. organic walnut halves and pieces have been linked to nearly 15 cases of E. coli that have hospitalized seven people in California and Washington.
Almost all the people who fell ill purchased walnuts from bulk bins at food co-ops or natural food stores in those two states, but the affected walnuts have also been sold in Nevada, according to the CDC.
No cases of E. coli linked to organic walnuts have been reported in Nevada, according to the CDC.
The CDC warned people to avoid organic walnut halves and pieces from Gibson Farms sold in bulk bins with lot codes 3325-043 and 3341-501 and that have expiration dates between May 21, 2025, and June 7, 2025.
People who have recently purchased bulk walnut halves and pieces should check if the products might be part of the lots in question, the CDC said.
If consumers aren’t sure, they can call the store to check, but it is safer not to eat the nuts, officials said. Consumers should also wash any surfaces or items that may have come in contact with the walnuts.
Most people infected with E. coli will experience severe stomach cramps, diarrhea that is often bloody and vomiting, officials said.
Symptoms typically start three or four days after being exposed to the bacteria and resolve without treatment in five to seven days, officials said. But some people might develop serious kidney problems and need hospitalization, official said.
Those who experience bloody diarrhea, a fever higher than 102 degrees, dehydration and vomiting that doesn’t allow keeping liquids down, should contact their doctor, the CDC said.
