Raw Cookie Dough Definite No-No

The other day I was at the grocery store and two teens were talking to me about their impending spa party they were co-hosting.  It sounded like fun.

The girls were going to have a few nail pros come into their home and do manis and pedis.  They were also going to watch movies and eat lots of "junk" food.

(Image of chocolate chip cookies - HBM Media - All Rights Reserved).

When I asked what was the latest in junk food fare they told me pizza, Cheetos and Nestle Toll House cookie dough, probably raw from the tube.

Unfortunately I had to be the one to tell them that a recent report on CNN advised all consumers to throw out all prepackaged, refrigerated Nestle Toll House cookie dough products.

Why?  The good folks at Nestle had made an announcement in Junerecalling an estimated 300,000 cases of the dough as a precaution after reports of food-borne illness in 28 states.

The concern about the dough which was recalled was that it might be contaminated with the bacterium E. coli 0157:H7 which causes some nasty side effects such as abdominal cramps, vomiting and diarrhea.

Definitely a case for concern and a danger of truly losing your cookies after eating them.

The Food and Drug Administration and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention are also warning against the cookie dough, especially for younger children and the elderly who can suffer from more serious side effects.

The Nestle company issued a statement saying, "While the E. coli strain implicated in this investigation has not been detected in our product, the health and safety of our consumers is paramount, so we are initiating this voluntary recall."

As reported by CNN, according to Nestle spokeswoman Laurie MacDonald, raw dough was one of the things the sick people reported eating.

"The health and safety of our consumers is our No. 1 priority," she said. "We felt the best thing to do is a voluntary recall."  She said the company was informed by the FDA Wednesday night "and immediately took action."

"We really want to remind consumers that raw cookie dough should not be eaten," she said.  Even my new acquaintances at the grocery store didn't know you should never eat raw cookie dough, although they know now which may or may not be a good thing.  Right?

The good news is that since the cookie dough problem was reported no one has died from the E Coli although some people have become sick.

Unfortunately the days of enjoying the spoons of raw cookie dough, whether right from the package or from licking the bowl are definitely over.  Even when there are no E. coli warnings, the danger from raw or uncooked eggs which may be included in the recipes can cause problems.

E. coli is nothing to play around with.  It can, in some cases, lead to death but even just the stomach cramps can may you wish you never see another chocolate chip cookie again...at least for awhile.

When in doubt about whether to eat your current Nestle products, contact the store where you bought the items or you can check for updated news on the web.  It is always better to be safe than sorry.

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