Health Officials: Illnesses Reported in Nine States as Food Recall Expands

TWIN FALLS, Idaho (KLIX) – Idaho health officials are urging residents to check their cupboards after 16 people in nine states have become seriously ill after eating product that was listed in a food recall.

Recent outbreaks of E.coli, including in Oregon and Washington, have been linked to soy nut butter and granola. To date, no illnesses related to the recall have been reported in Idaho but health officials urge consumers to double-check their cupboards for I.M. Healthy SoyNut Butter and other related recall products, says the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare.

State health departments are working with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Food and Drug Administration to investigate the ongoing outbreak of the Shiga toxin-producing E. coli illnesses.

Any variety or size of I.M. Healthy SoyNut Butter, I.M. Healthy Granola, or Dixie Diner's Club Carb Not Beanit Butter should not be served or eaten, regardless of the date of purchase or the date listed on the container.

Even if a portion of the products were eaten or served and no one became sick, the remaining product should be sealed in a bag and thrown in the trash so that children, pets, or other animals can't eat it. More information about the recall can be found on the FDA website.

”This type of E. coli, called STEC, can be very dangerous, especially in children and elderly persons”, says Dr. Christine Hahn, medical director for the Division of Public Health. “We urge everyone, including schools and daycare centers, to check to make sure they do not have this product, and if they do, to dispose of it immediately.”

Symptoms often include severe stomach cramps, diarrhea (sometimes bloody), and vomiting. Most people get better within 5-7 days, but some infections are severe or even life-threatening, including a type of kidney failure called Hemolytic uremic syndrome.

Very young children and the elderly are more likely to develop severe illness and HUS than others, but even healthy older children and young adults can become seriously ill. The majority of the illnesses confirmed as part of this outbreak are in people younger than 18 years old. At least eight children have been hospitalized.

Contact your doctor if you find yourself or a family member with suspect symptoms.