Nestlé recalls raw cookie dough products

Nestlé is voluntarily recalling products after 65 people come down with a strain of E coli.

Sat, Jun 20 2009 at 11:42 AM EST

Photo: jelene/Flickr

Before you pop those break and bake cookies into the oven for the graduation party or Father’s Day cookout you're attending this weekend, read this.

Nestlé is voluntarily recalling its raw cookie dough products after 65 people in 29 states have become ill after eating the dough. The people who have become ill have been diagnosed with E. coli O157:H7 infections. Several people have had severe complications from the infections, but no one has died.

After investigating, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says they found:

a strong association with eating raw, prepackaged cookie dough. Most patients reported eating refrigerated prepackaged Nestle Toll House cookie dough products raw.

E. coli O157:H7 has not been previously associated with eating raw cookie dough. CDC, the state health departments, and federal regulatory partners are working together in this ongoing investigation.

In a statement Nestlé says they are:

taking this action out of an abundance of caution after being notified that the Food and Drug Administration, together with the Centers for Disease Control, are conducting an investigation into reported E. coli 0157:H7 illnesses that may be related to consumption of raw cookie dough.

A number of consumers reporting illness reported consuming raw Nestlé TOLL HOUSE refrigerated cookie dough. 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. We have been and will continue to cooperate fully with the Food and Drug Administration and the Centers for Disease Control in this investigation.

A complete list of recalled products can be found here.

If you have Nestlé raw cookie dough in your refrigerator, here is what the FDA and CDC are warning consumers to do.

Do not to eat any varieties of prepackaged Nestle Toll House refrigerated cookie dough due to the risk of contamination with E. coli O157:H7.
If consumers have any prepackaged, refrigerated Nestle Toll House cookie dough products in their home they should throw them away.
Cooking the dough is not recommended because consumers might get the bacteria on their hands and on other cooking surfaces.
Individuals who have recently eaten prepackaged, refrigerated Toll House cookie dough and have experienced any diarrhea or abdominal cramping should contact their doctor or health care provider immediately.

On their site, the CDC also reminds consumers “they should not eat raw food products that are intended for cooking or baking before consumption.”

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