“Don’t Eat The Cookie Dough, It’ll Make You Sick!”

- How many times did you hear that growing up?

Turns out, there may be something to that warning.

In research published on December 9, 2011 – researchers studied the outbreak of E. coli O157:H7 in 77 patients in 30 states who become ill between March 16 and July 8, 2009. Thirty-five of these patients were hospitalized, and ten developed HUS. Thirty-three of the patients ate ready-to-bake commercial prepackaged cookie dough before becoming sick.  Every ingredient used in the making of the cookie dough was tested for possible E. coli contamination.

During their investigation, the researchers discovered that the eggs were pasteurized, meaning that it is highly unlikely that they were the culprit.  The Molasses, sugar, baking soda, and margarine used all undergo a special process designed specifically to eliminate bacteria, including E. Coli.  It was, however, discovered that the flour used in making the cookie dough is a raw product, meaning that it does not undergo the same special process as the other ingredients; although there is no conclusive evidence that flour was the cause of the E.colioutbreak, it still remains a suspect.

The researchers suggest:

Food processors should consider the use of pasteurized flour in ready-to-cook or ready-to-bake foods that
are likely to be consumed without cooking or baking, even
though label statements may warn against consuming uncooked product

To read more on this study:  Oxford Journals.org

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