Governor Josh Green, M.D.

DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH

JOSH GREEN, M.D.
GOVERNOR

KE KIA‘ĀINA

KENNETH S. FINK, MD, MGA, MPH
DIRECTOR

KA LUNA HO‘OKELE

Department of Health issues a recall alert for Gibson Farms bulk Organic California Shelled Walnuts due to potential Escherichia coli 0157:H7 (E. coli) contamination

 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 30, 2024                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    24-058

HONOLULU – 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. The 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.

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.

Please 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 [email protected] for additional information.

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Media Contacts:

Michael Burke
Environmental Health Program Manager
Hawaiʻi State Department of Health
Email: [email protected]

Stephen Downes
Director of Communiations
Hawaiʻi State Department of Health
Phone: 808-586-4417
Email: [email protected]