Department of Health issues a recall alert for Gibson Farms bulk organic California shelled walnuts due to potential E. coli contamination

The Hawaiʻi State Department of Health (DOH) Food and Drug Branch (FDB) is alerting residents to a voluntary recall alert by Gibson Farms of bulk California shelled walnuts, organic light halves and pieces, because of potential E. coli contamination. T

he recalled product may have been distributed to local natural food retailers in Hawaiʻi and a list of stores can be found at this link: https://www.fda.gov/media/178182/download?attachment.

The recalled product may be found at a total of six stores on the Big Island. According to the link, those stores are Abundant Life Natural Foods in Hilo, Island Naturals Market in both Hilo and Kailua-Kona, Healthways II in Kamuela, Kea‘au Natural Foods in Kea‘au, and Island Naturals Market in Pāhoa.

A total of nine stores were named statewide.

Symptoms of E. coli include severe stomach cramps, diarrhea, fever, nausea, and/or vomiting. Symptoms can begin anywhere from a few days after consuming contaminated food up to nine days later. The severity or presence of certain symptoms depends on the type of pathogenic E. coli that is causing the infection. Although most healthy adults can recover completely within a week, some infections can cause severe bloody diarrhea, and may lead to life-threatening conditions such as a type of kidney failure called hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS).

HUS is most likely to occur in young children and the elderly. E. coli infection may also lead to the development of high blood pressure, chronic kidney disease, and/or neurologic problems.

Contact your healthcare provider immediately if you are exhibiting symptoms after having consumed any of the recalled products. To date, there have been no reports of illness or adverse effects in Hawaiʻi attributed to the recalled products.

Consumers who have purchased organic walnut halves and pieces from bulk bins at the stores identified in the link above should check their pantries, refrigerators and freezers, and should not eat the organic walnut halves and pieces. If you have these products in your home, do not eat or use them, throw them away, and sanitize all surfaces that may have come in contact with the product to reduce the risk of cross-contamination.

The FDB advises retailers that received the recalled walnuts to discard the contents of any bulk bins that may have contained the recalled products and clean and sanitize the bins before refilling. Retailers that potentially received the recalled product from a distributor but do not know the brand or lot code information should hold product, sanitize bins, and contact the distributor.

Both consumers and retailers with questions may contact Veronica Cheatham of Gibson Farms at 1-831-637-3512 (5:30 a.m. to 1:40 p.m. HST, Monday through Friday) or by emailing foodsafety@gibsonfarmsinc.com for additional information.

The recalled product descriptions and relevant information are listed below: