General Mills recalls 1.8 million boxes of Cheerios for gluten allergen

On Monday afternoon, General Mills announced a voluntary recall of 1.8 million boxes of Cheerios and Honey Nut Cheerios that were manufactured in July at the company’s Lodi, California, plant.

Word spread quickly on Twitter and Facebook, especially from those affected by food allergies and digestive ailments.

A press release called this an “isolated incident”:

The use of wheat flour means the cereals are not gluten-free, and people with conditions like wheat allergies or celiac disease who consume it might suffer an allergic reaction or discomfort.

In a blog post by Jim Murphy, president of the cereal division, the company quickly took responsibility. Murphy opened his post by admitting he is “embarrassed and truly sorry.” He also made it a point to note that time was an important factor in announcing the recall: “The recalled code dates are detailed in our press release issued minutes ago,” he wrote.