The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has a message as it investigates a Salmonella outbreak apparently linked to flour: Stop eating raw cookie dough.
CDC investigators are working to identity a specific brand of flour linked to the multi-state outbreak but said any raw or unbaked flour can have germs, like Salmonella, and shouldn’t be eaten.
“Flour doesn’t look like a raw food, but most flour is raw,” the agency said on its website. “This means that it hasn’t been treated to kill germs that cause food poisoning. Any raw (unbaked) flour used to make dough or batter can be contaminated with germs like Salmonella, but Salmonella germs are killed when flour is cooked or baked. You can get sick after eating or tasting raw dough or batter. Children can get sick from handling or eating raw dough used for crafts or play clay.”
So far, 12 people have gotten ill from eating raw dough or batter made with flour. Three of the cases required hospitalizations. The cases have been reported in 11 states: California, Oregon, Nebraska, Iowa, Minnesota, Missouri, Illinois, Tennessee, Ohio, New York and Virginia.
Symptoms of salmonella include diarrhea, fever and stomach cramps that can start anywhere from 6 hours to 6 days after swallowing the bacteria. Most people recover in about a week but it can be particularly dangerous for young children, older adults or people with weakened immune systems.
