Nevada among E.coli walnuts recall after several sicknesses

Organic walnut halves and pieces sold in bulk bins at natural food and co-op stores across the west, including Nevada, are being recalled.

A dozen people in seven states have become ill and seven have been hospitalized with symptoms of E.coli, according to the U.S. Food & Drug Administration.

The severity or presence of certain symptoms may depend on the type of pathogenic E. coli that is causing the infection. Some infections can cause severe bloody diarrhea and lead to life-threatening conditions, such as a type of kidney failure called hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS), or the development of high blood pressure, chronic kidney disease, and neurologic problems.

Symptoms include severe stomach cramps, diarrhea, fever, nausea and/or vomiting. Symptoms begin anywhere from a few days after consuming contaminated food or up to nine days later.

Contact your healthcare provider if you think you may have symptoms of an E. coli infection after eating organic walnuts.

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. Product was shipped to distributors between the dates of October 1, 2023, to April 24, 2024. The products have expiration dates of 5/21/25 and 6/7/25.

The walnuts were shipped to at least two stores in Reno, but the FDA’s investigation is ongoing. The FDA is working with the firm and its distributors to determine whether additional store locations, products, or states are affected.

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. If you have these products in your home, do not eat or use them, throw them away and clean and sanitize surfaces they touched.

Retailers, distributors, and consumers should follow FDA’s safe handling and cleaning advice and use extra care in cleaning and sanitizing any surfaces and containers that may have come in contact with this product to reduce the risk of cross-contamination.

State and local public health officials have interviewed people about the foods they ate in the week before they became ill. Of the 10 people interviewed, all 10 reported eating walnuts, and almost all reported buying organic walnuts from bulk bins in food co-ops or natural food stores.

FDA’s investigation identified Gibson Farms, Inc. of Hollister, Calif., as the common supplier of walnuts in this outbreak. On April 27, 2024, Gibson Farms, Inc. initiated a voluntary recall and contacted their distributing customers. Distributors and retailers that may have received recalled bulk organic walnuts should follow the recommendations above and contact their customers.

Contact Marvin Clemons at mclemons@reviewjournal.com.