As holiday baking begins, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration reminds consumers to avoid eating raw cookie dough, cake batter, and other uncooked flour-based products. While many know the dangers of raw eggs and Salmonella, fewer realize that raw flour can harbor pathogens such as E. coli and Salmonella.

Past outbreaks and recalls highlight risks.
The FDA’s warning comes as foodborne illnesses linked to raw flour continue to make headlines. Notable outbreaks include:

• 2009: Raw Nestlé cookie dough was tied to 77 E. coli illnesses, leading to a switch to heat-treated flour.
• 2015: General Mills recalled 45 million tons of flour after an E. coli outbreak sickened 46 people, prompting secondary recalls across the food industry.
• 2019: A flour-related E. coli O26 outbreak affected 21 people across nine states.
• 2021: A virulent E. coli outbreak linked to cake mix sickened 16 people in 12 states. Despite extensive traceback efforts, federal officials could not identify a specific product or brand, underscoring the challenges of tracing illnesses to raw flour products.
• 2023: Gold Medal flour was linked to a Salmonella Infantis outbreak that sickened 13 people across 11 states, with testing confirming contamination in the product.

FDA’s safety tips for bakers
To ensure a safe and festive baking season, the FDA offers these guidelines: