We might not think of flour as a raw food, but a recent notice from the Atlanta-based Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is a reminder that the dry ingredient can still host harmful foodborne contaminants.
The CDC put out the notice after reports of people getting Salmonella after eating raw cookie dough. An investigation revealed that the flour was the only common factor in all of the cases.
Most flour “hasn’t been treated to kill germs that cause food poisoning,” the CDC explained. “Any raw (unbaked) flour used to make dough or batter can be contaminated with germs like Salmonella.”
As of March 30, 12 people in 11 states had been infected with the outbreak strain of Salmonella. The cases were in California, Oregon, Nebraska, Minnesota, Iowa, Missouri, Illinois, Ohio, New York, Virginia, and Tennessee.
“Investigators are working to identify a specific brand of flour linked to illnesses,” the CDC reported.
People should avoid consuming raw flour generally. If you’re using flour for other purposes — like making your own Play-Doh — look for flour that has been heat treated.
If you’ve eaten raw cookie dough or any other item that contained uncooked flour, look out for these Salmonella symptoms and consult your healthcare provider if they develop:
- diarrhea
- fever
- abdominal cramps 12 to 72 hours after infection
- chills
- headache
- nausea or vomiting.
The CDC’s investigation is ongoing. No brand recalls have been issued at this time.
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