In early October the food manufacturer General Mills stated that they in the process of doing a voluntary recall for about 1.8 million boxes of its Cheerios and Honey Nut Cheerios. The recall is due to the possibility of wheat flour exposure to products labeled gluten-free. This can prove to be problematic for individuals that have a gluten intolerance, wheat allergies, or celiac disease. Krisite Foster, a company spokesperson, said, “There have been reports of illness by consumers online. Two complaints of illness have been reported directly to General Mills related to the affected products.”
USA Today reported that the Minneapolis-based company stated in a news release that Cheerios and Honey Nut Cheerios are produced at its Lodi, California location. Recalls from this particular facility include four days production of original Cheerios, as well as thirteen production day of Honey Nut Cheerios. The president of General Mills cereal business, Jim Murphy, stated on the company blog; “In an isolated incident involving purely human error, wheat flour was inadvertently introduced into our gluten-free oat flour at Lodi.”
According to the Los Angeles Times, General Mills is in the process of transitioning five of its cereal varieties to gluten-free oat flour. The reassurance by Jim Murphy that the recall is due to an isolated incident will hopefully not hinder any future gluten-free product productions. The General Mills website and other social media provide information on how to identify recalled products. Consumers can also contact General Mills at 800-775-8370 for any more questions or concerns.
If you or someone you know has been harmed by a defective product, contact an attorney at Abraham, Watkins, Nichols, Agosto, Aziz & Stogner by calling (713) 222-7211 or toll free at 713-222-7211.