Nestle Recalls Toll House Cookie Dough Products

[OhioChick]

Source: AP

Illnesses Reported In People Who Ate Raw Dough

June 19, 2009

NEW YORK -- Nestle USA on Friday voluntarily recalled its Toll House refrigerated cookie dough products after a number of illnesses were reported by those who ate the dough raw.

The company said the Food and Drug Administration and the Centers for Disease Control are investigating reported E. coli illnesses that might be related eating the dough.

In a statement, the FDA said there have been 66 reports of illness across 28 states since March. About 25 people have been hospitalized, but no one has died.

The FDA advised consumers to throw away any prepackaged, refrigerated Nestle Toll House cookie dough products in their homes. Retailers, restauranteurs and employees at other food-service operations should also not sell or serve any of the products.

Nestle spokeswoman Roz O'Hearn said "this has been a very quickly moving situation," adding the company took action less than 24 hours after hearing of the problem.

O'Hearn said the company will "cooperate fully" with the FDA's investigation.

Read more: http://www.newsnet5.com/health/19799636/detail.html

[Hugin]

1. If you insist on eating cookie dough... At least make the dough yourself!

Eating raw pre-packaged cookie dough! :blech:

[JerseygirlCT]

2. Who eats raw dough anymore?

Will cooking kill the e coli? I can't remember.

[Hugin]

3. Yes, cooking kills e coli.

Now, botulism... Whole n'other story.

[lindisfarne]

24. It's amazing how easy it is to create an environment in which botulism can grow.

People who can should be sure to have recipes which have been designed to minimize that chance, and don't use gramma's old recipe or add more of some ingredient.

The reason for not using gramma's old recipe is that some produce has changed in its characteristics. Tomatoes, for example, have been bred to be less acidic than they used to, and adequate acidity inhibits botulism growth.

Garlic & herbs in oil create the perfect breeding ground for botulism. Botulism spores exist on many produce items, and putting them in oil creates the perfect anaerobic environment for botulism growth. You cannot simply add an acidic ingredient (e.g., lemon juice or vinegar) to acidify, because the oil will separate from the acid. If you make salad dressings or other things like garlic infused oils at home, you should use them the same day. If you don't, best practices say you should refrigerate the oil and use it within 2 days (if you're not willing to simply throw the oil away), but be aware, refrigeration only slows botulism growth, it doesn't stop it.

Consumers should be aware that any non-commercially prepared items (including fresh deli items prepared by a store) increase the risk of exposure to botulism. How long has it been since the product was produced (if more than 2 days - don't buy it) and was it immediately refrigerated (if not, don't buy it)? Such products should be refrigerated at home and used within 2 days of their being produced.

Adding salt to oils does not reduce the risk. The FDA has issued warnings about garlic and herbal oils going back to the 1990s and they do not suggest that adding salt to such oils has any reduction on the risk of botulism.

Commercially-prepared products use certain processes unavailable to in-store or at home producers, plus add various chemicals, to reduce the risk of botulism.

Botulism interferes with acetylcholine transmission in the peripheral nervous system which allows muscles to contract. At lower levels, botulism can cause symptoms like weakness of muscles; at higher levels, paralysis can results, including paralysis of respiratory muscles.

[Hugin]

25. Very interesting.

I knew botulism was a baddie, but, I hadn't heard the herbs and oil angle before.

Thanks. :hi:

[Berry Cool]

38. I had. But if I have a jar of commercial pesto sauce, and I don't use it all right away,

it should still be good for a while, no? (I've had a particular one for a while and so far, no problems. But maybe the threat of this problem is a reason why they don't sell gigantic jars of pesto the way they do other types of prepared sauce--so you're forced to use it up faster.)

[OhioChick]

5. Many companies make "cookie dough" ice cream. Wonder if this pertains to that, too? n/t

[Hugin]

6. I was wondering that, too.

Wouldn't be surprised.

[Coventina]

8. IIRC, the cookie dough ice cream is safe because it's not real

"cookie dough". It's been pasteurized or something.

[OhioChick]

9. I thought they added the cookie dough after the ice cream was made?

:shrug:

[Coventina]

28. As for that, I have no idea. But the "cookie dough" isn't standard

"cookie dough". It's been altered to be safe (supposedly).

[OhioChick]

33. "Altered", huh? That doesn't sound good.

Come to think of it, I wonder how much crap goes into plain old cookie dough?

[gauguin57]

34. Robert Bazell on MSNBC just said they ARE recalling cookie dough ice cream ...

... if the cookie dough came from Nestles.

[OhioChick]

35. Thanks for the heads-up. n/t

[jmowreader]

36. If there are eggs, they probably pasteurize the eggs

Easy to do--put eggs in water, raise the water temp to 150 degrees F and hold it there for five minutes.

[lindisfarne]

32. The cookie dough in ice cream doesn't need the eggs to taste like cookie dough.

Since you're not going to cook that cookie dough, you don't need the eggs.
Next time you eat cookie dough ice cream, pay attention to the taste & texture - it's primarily brown or white sugar, flour, a fat of some kind, natural or artificial vanilla flavoring, and possibly colorings.

[tridim]

10. I think they use pasteurized eggs in the dough.

So it's usually safe to eat it raw.

[Ilsa]

11. Yes, I called them years ago about my son eating the raw dough.

They told me the eggs were pasteurized; no need to worry.

[Hugin]

13. I've always followed the 'Mayonnaise Rule' with raw doughs.

If I didn't see it made, I don't eat it.

My logic being, to make dough there are several places in the process where the dough is left at room temperature for various reasons... For instance, to let the yeast do it's thing. During these times the dough is susceptible to the influence of any contaminants. It just doesn't seem to be a good idea with E. coli lurking about to eat it directly out of the package.

However, if the dough is made for the expressed reason of eating and it's eaten soon after the ingredients are combined, then there would be less of a chance of problems.

[xxqqqzme]

19. There is no yeast in cookie dough

or at least there shouldn't be. The leavening in cookie dough is baking soda usually.

I wouldn't eat anything made by nestle anyway. That multi-national is in the worse top 10 in my book.

[Hugin]

20. True.

I was talking about the general case, tho.

Yeah, the nestle part would have me doubly leery too. :/

[Captain Hilts]

27. That is correct. MOST restaurants, etc. use pastuerized eggs in cartons, bags. Diners still use

the little oblate white things.

[tinrobot]

18. My son...

He's always sneaking into the fridge to eat the cookie dough.

[sakabatou]

22. I do... when I make the cookies from scratch

[w4rma]

4. Now they'll have to add more preservatives. How about just a warning label, instead? (nt)

[MaineDem]

7. Well, duh, it's not for eating raw!

People get sick from eating raw eggs, too. Are they recalled? (Rhetorical question.)

On the other hand, I detest Nestle.

[rocktivity]

12. NEWSFLASH: You're not SUPPOSED to eat cookie dough!!!

And should you throw it away if you intend to bake it? Should I throw away my meat and eggs, too? THEY'RE raw!

:crazy:
rocktivity

[OhioChick]

14. Raw cookie dough is in ice cream....

:shrug:

[rocktivity]

15. I doubt that it's real cookie dough as we know it

and if it is, it's probably loaded up with special flavors and preservatives because it's MEANT to be eaten.

:headbang:
rocknation

[OhioChick]

16. As a kid, I used to eat raw cookie dough......

Everyone did. :blush:

[Hugin]

21. Well, I hope you've learned your lesson!

No dough for you!

:D

[OhioChick]

23. Lesson learned.

:D

[B3Nut]

29. Hell, the raw dough

is better than the baked cookies! :D

(And yes, I've eaten this Nestle dough raw before. Maybe my usually-excessive stomach acids saved my bacon... :D )

[OhioChick]

31. Is sure is!

Same with cake mix.....don't care much for the cake, but the batter is damn good. :D

[Frank Cannon]

37. There's a reason they call them "cookies" and not "rawies"

Actually, I ate a ton of that stuff, too, as a kid. Like you said, everyone did.

[create.peace]

30. eggs can be pasteurized which reduces the risk, reduces

but doesn't eliminate. eggs can be replaced for texture only by other viscose ingredients, which they probably do in ice cream.

[Berry Cool]

39. Here's my question. I would expect pasteurized eggs to reduce the risk of salmonella

but not E. coli. I would think the E. coli issue would have to come from elsewhere--as in, somehow chicken crap got stuck to the outside shell of the egg and somehow that crap wasn't eliminated when the egg was broken and added to the dough mix but rather became part of the dough. Or are there other factors involved?

[TheCowsCameHome]

17. Yes, and I recall their little dog named "Farfel" in the '50 and 60's

Cute little thing.

[Captain Hilts]

26. SHIT! This is a stab at our Way of Life. TERRORISM!