FDA Says NO MORE COOKIE DOUGH - EVER?

In a new blog post, the Federal Food and Drug Administration gave their recommendation to not consume raw flour due to an possible e.coli contamination at a General Mills in Missouri. I don't know about you but I find this news somewhat devastating. I love cookie dough so much. I'll probably just roll the dice and not use a GM product.

According to Scott, the bottom line for you and your kids is don’t eat raw dough. And even though there are websites devoted to “flour crafts,” don’t give your kids raw dough or baking mixes that contain flour to play with.

Why? Flour, regardless of the brand, can contain bacteria that cause disease. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), along with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and state and local officials, is investigating an outbreak of infections that illustrates the dangers of eating raw dough. Dozens of people across the country have been sickened by a strain of bacteria called Shiga toxin-producing E. coli O121.

Why Flour? People often understand the dangers of eating raw dough due to the presence of raw eggs and the associated risk with Salmonella. However, consumers should be aware that there are additional risks associated with the consumption of raw dough, such as particularly harmful strains of E. coli in a product like flour. “Flour is derived from a grain that comes directly from the field and typically is not treated to kill bacteria,” says Leslie Smoot, Ph.D., a senior advisor in FDA’s Office of Food Safety and a specialist in the microbiological safety of processed foods. So if an animal heeds the call of nature in the field, bacteria from the animal waste could contaminate the grain, which is then harvested and milled into flour. Common “kill steps” applied during food preparation and/or processing (so-called because they kill bacteria that cause infections) include boiling, baking, roasting, microwaving, and frying. But with raw dough, no kill step has been used. And don’t make homemade cookie dough ice cream either. If that’s your favorite flavor, buy commercially made products. Manufacturers should use ingredients that include treated flour and pasteurized eggs.

Multistate Outbreak of Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli O121 Infections Linked to Flour

Investigation of the Outbreak Collaborative investigative efforts of state, local, and federal health and regulatory officials indicate that flour produced at General Mills’ Kansas City, Missouri facility is a likely source of this outbreak. This investigation is ongoing.

Screw General Mills.

I think they'll be telling us that life causes death next.

I think I will continue eating some raw cookie dough as I make it.

Earth to FDA: Make me stop eating cookie dough, schmucks!

a reply to: TheAmazingYeti

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I don't eat sweets, but the rare thing I like is I or someone else is making chocolate chip cookies..I want a spoon of dough. I am not even interested in the cookies after. I am not sure if the Ben&Jerrys cookie dough ice cream is raw dough, if I buy ice cream once in 2 years, it is that.

Now this SJW wants to make signs amd hit the streets!


The presence of raw eggs? I know it is not generally recommended to eat raw eggs, but people put them in health shakes. They go on top of steak tartar, which is raw meat..when prepared by a good chef, is very safe. The FDA has been off it's rocker for some time. I think they are pretty good at removing some food dyes once in awhile, warning against BPA,...but more and more they want to be authorities on EVERYTHING and regulate.

originally posted by: ketsuko
I think they'll be telling us that life causes death next.

LOL

It's never been a good idea to eat raw cookie dough.

The article makes a valuable point in that many crops grown in fields can have animal (and human) waste on it.

a reply to: ketsuko
Or they are telling you that they found an outbreak at certain places...

And anyway they have to say, and have been, that cookie dough is potentially bad for you. Don't think it is any sort of control or fear mongering anymore then it is just the fact of the matter.

a reply to: Sremmos80

Oh, I understand that. I fully get it; just like I get that because I like my eggs over easy I am taking a risk because the yolks are not fully cooked, too. Oh, yes, eating some cookie dough means that I am eating some raw egg and taking a risk for that, too.

And I've been 100% aware of that for FAR longer than this.

And every time I go to the farmers' market and buy fresh greens, berries, fruit, etc., I could also be getting some waste on it. And despite my best efforts to clean it off, I might get sick.

It's called life, and no matter how much I try to avoid death, I will find it eventually, one way or another. No matter how antiseptic I try to make my existence, I will also get sick. It gets to the point where this gets pretty much insane.

I swear; sometimes, for all you libs tell us conservatives to lighten up about things, you can get awful prissy about stuff.

a reply to: introvert

Technically, nothing from the ground would be safe then, even if you think you washed it properly. And that 'spray vegetable wash' stuff doesn't sit right with me.

I have never read of anyone getting sick from doing this. That is the thing. Though, technically, it could happen . Most people don't even get the flour out anymore, they use a mix and add eggs, water, butter. There are preservatives in those mixes that I think may make the eating of raw dough safer, not sure about that, but something must.

a reply to: Sremmos80

It is just a blog. A recommendation. But after their (&*(%^(&)(%&)* damn &(*)%^)&*)(^()* with e cig juice, I really, truly hate them.

I'm not afraid of eating raw eggs as long as they are pretty fresh, less than a couple of weeks old is the best. I knew flour had fungus but not E.coli. I think the real butter in the chocolate chip cookies along with the baking powder would help with that though. The egg can also kill E.coli if it is a good fresh real egg. Most commercial eggs have a lot less strength than the eggs from chickens that run around and eat bugs out in the yard. They taste a lot better.

WTH is raw cookie dough? Can someone give explain?

a reply to: TheAmazingYeti

This is from the blog

Some of the recalled flours had been sold to restaurants that allow children to play with dough made from the raw flour while waiting for their meals

I have never been in a restaurant that has children 'play with dough'. Unless their are pizza restaurants that show kids how to make tiny pizzas. Then they just have to wash their hands. I have never actually witnessed a restaurant do this, though.

a reply to: saadad

It's cookie dough that hasn't been cooked yet.

We make ours from scratch with real butter. You just sort of eat what you make before you bake. A big tradition is to "lick" the mixer beaters.

a reply to: saadad

You make chocolate chip cookies (usually that is the flavor or some others). When all of your ingredients are mixed together, before baking, you eat a spoon or 2 of the dough.

a reply to: ketsuko

Next it will be...............the sperm entering the egg causes death............which would be true, but an expensive study must be done and words must be spoken.
Cookie dough was tasty when I was a child and is still just as tasty as an adult.

The raw flour is more of a problem than the egg. I have eaten cookie dough with almond flour I made myself. Tastes pretty good!

Some of you are complaining about the FDA's recommendation, but you'd feel pretty bad if you fed your child raw cookie dough and they had to go to the hospital while suffering immensely from bacteria poisoning, wouldn't you? Sure, we can't protect them from everything, but why take stupid chances? Might as well let them play in a busy street....

originally posted by: Tarzan the apeman.
a reply to: ketsuko

Next it will be...............the sperm entering the egg causes death............which would be true, but an expressive study must be done and words must be spoken.
Cookie dough was tasty when I was a child and is still just as tasty as an adult.

My favorite variety is the holiday ginger snap dough. We have a spicy version that uses a little cayenne and fresh grated ginger in it. It makes a really tasty dough with a bit of bite. Cookies are really good too.

originally posted by: kaylaluv
The raw flour is more of a problem than the egg. I have eaten cookie dough with almond flour I made myself. Tastes pretty good!

Some of you are complaining about the FDA's recommendation, but you'd feel pretty bad if you fed your child raw cookie dough and they had to go to the hospital while suffering immensely from bacteria poisoning, wouldn't you? Sure, we can't protect them from everything, but why take stupid chances? Might as well let them play in a busy street....

Guess what? E.coli poisoning came from the processing facility in all likelihood. So your almond flour is just as susceptible.

a reply to: kaylaluv

I am wondering why the FDA had to make a blog of this? They could have just written a blog along with the issued warning about flour from the GM plant in Kansas and the dates of the batches. That particular flour needs to be tossed out, regardless of people eating cookie dough.

There has always been the idea that it might be unsafe. Not sure people who have never heard of this look at the FDA website daily to loook for things they never heard of.