The Washington State Department of Health (DOH), the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) advise people to stop eating organic walnut halves and pieces sold in bulk at several Washington stores because of possible contamination with E. coli bacteria.

The Port Townsend Food Co-Op is part of the recall.

A full investigation is currently underway to determine the potential source of the contamination.

The FDA lists 306 affected stores across the western U.S. in addition to stores in Texas, Arkansas, and Louisiana. In Jefferson County, The Food Co-Op in Port Townsend was the only grocer listed that received recalled walnuts. Calls to the Co-Op were not returned by press time. 

In Clallam County, Country Aire Natural Foods in Port Angeles received recalled product. In Island County, two stores on Whidbey Island – Goose Community Grocer and Star Store, both in Langley – received recalled walnuts. And at least nine Seattle grocers also received recalled product.

According to the state health department, at least 12 people have been infected with E. coli after eating bulk organic walnut halves and pieces. Six of those people live in Washington, one of them in East Jefferson County. No one has died from their infection.

State and local public health officials have interviewed people about the foods they ate in the week before they became ill. Of the 10 people interviewed, all reported eating walnuts, and almost all reported buying organic walnuts from bulk bins in food co-ops or natural food stores. The walnuts may have been repacked from their original packaging in plastic clamshells or bags, or sold in bulk. The walnuts may also have been used as an ingredient in items prepared in-store.

The FDA’s traceback investigation identified Gibson Farms Inc. of Hollister, California, as the common supplier of walnuts in this outbreak. Gibson Farms initiated a voluntary recall and contacted their distributing customers on April 27. The FDA is working with the firm and its distributors to determine the source of contamination, whether additional products or states are affected, and that all retailers that received recalled product have been identified.

E. coli bacteria can cause severe or even life-threatening infections, usually starting three or four days after eating or drinking something contaminated. Symptoms include diarrhea (which is often bloody), severe abdominal pain, and vomiting. Most people get better in five to seven days, but children 5 years or younger are at higher risk of severe illness.

The Gibson Farms Organic Light Halves and Pieces shelled walnuts were sold in 25-pound bulk boxes and can be identified by lot 3325-043 and lot 3341-501 with expiration dates of May 21, 2025 and June 7, 2025.

What to do:

If you bought organic walnut halves and pieces from bulk containers, check the list of stores on the DOH Food Recalls and Alerts website to see if the walnuts might be part of the recall. Stores may repackage bulk walnuts into plastic clamshells or bags.

Ask the store where you purchased your walnuts if they sold recalled walnuts if you are not sure.

Stop eating and discard recalled walnuts, including those stored in your refrigerator or freezer. If you can’t tell if your walnuts are part of the recall, it’s safer not to eat them.

Wash containers used to store the recalled walnuts and any surface they may have touched with hot soapy water or in the dishwasher.