Walnuts Sold Nationwide Recalled for Possible E. Coli Contamination

The U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) have issued a Food Safety Alert for Gibson Farms, Inc. organic walnut halves and pieces sold in bulk bins in hundreds of stores in Alaska, Arkansas, Arizona, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Idaho, Kansas, Louisiana, Montana, Nebraska, New Mexico, Nevada, Oregon, South Dakota, Texas, Utah, Washington, and Wyoming. The walnuts may be contaminated with E. coli.

To date, there have been 12 reported illnesses and 7 hospitalizations—all in Washington state and California. No deaths have been reported in conjunction with the affected walnuts. 

The nuts have been recalled and should no longer be in the bulk bins of stores, but they may still be in consumers’ homes and the investigation is ongoing.

How to Identify the Recalled Bulk Bin Walnuts

The nuts were shipped to distributors between October 1, 2023, and April 24, 2024. The expiration dates on the walnut halves are between May 21, 2025, and June 7, 2025. They were sold under Lot codes 3325-043 and 3341-501.

Because the nuts were sold in bulk and may have been transferred to other containers in consumers’ homes, any packaging with those identifying markers may have been thrown away. Consumers who bought bulk walnuts in the affected states should check the FDA’s full list of specific stores that sold the recalled walnuts.

The CDC suggests those who bought organic walnut halves from bulk containers check their pantries, refrigerators, and freezers for the walnuts. If they are unsure if the nuts were part of the recall, they should not consume them.

The government agency also recommends that consumers contact the store where they purchased organic walnut halves to determine if it sold nuts that are part of the recall. And, it warns that some stores may have repackaged bulk organic walnut halves and pieces into plastic clamshells or bags, so consumers should also consider that when investigating whether nuts in their homes were part of the recall.  

Consumers who believe the affected organic walnuts have been in their homes should wash items and surfaces that may have touched the walnuts using hot soapy water or a dishwasher.

For details on E. coli, including symptoms of infection, see the CDC’s E. coli Questions and Answers page.