Think twice before eating that cookie dough: Raw flour linked to Salmonella outbreak, CDC says
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is once again warning people to not eat any raw flour – such as that in uncooked dough or batter – as the agency investigates a multi-state Salmonella outbreak.
The outbreak is linked to reports of people eating uncooked food containing flour, the CDC said on Thursday. Investigators are working to identify a specific flour brand.
As of Thursday, the outbreak had reached 11 states. Twelve illnesses and three hospitalizations have been reported so far, the CDC said.
"Flour doesn’t look like a raw food, but most flour is raw. This means that it hasn’t been treated to kill germs that cause food poisoning," the CDC wrote. "Any raw (unbaked) flour used to make dough or batter can be contaminated with germs like Salmonella, but Salmonella germs are killed when flour is cooked or baked."
People can get sick from eating or tasting uncooked dough or batter, the CDC says.
In the current multi-state Salmonella outbreak, "most people reported eating raw dough or batter made with flour before they got sick," the CDC wrote – adding that flour "was the only common ingredient" that people reported eating.
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Is Salmonella making me sick? How common are infections?
A Salmonella infection is a common bacterial disease that impacts the intestinal tract, the Mayo Clinic notes. The germ lives in animal and human intestines – and most often causes infections in people through eating contaminated food or water.
Even eating a small amount of uncooked dough or batter with raw flour – or other ingredients that may contain Salmonella, like uncooked eggs – can make you sick, the CDC says.
To avoid potential Salmonella infections from raw flour or eggs, the CDC urges people to not eat uncooked dough or batter, follow all proper cooking/baking instructions and clean every utensil that touched those ingredients.
Undercooked meat and unpasteurized milk can also cause Salmonella infections, the Mayo Clinic notes. Beyond eating food, people can become ill from Salmonella after touching infected animals, the CDC says.
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The CDC estimates that Salmonella causes about 1.35 million illnesses, 26,500 hospitalizations and 420 deaths in the U.S. every year.
Salmonella infection symptoms
Most healthy people recover from Salmonella infections. But it's important to know the symptoms – in case more serious complications arise.
The timeline of symptoms can vary. According to the CDC, signs of illness usually begin sometime between six hours and six days after swallowing the bacteria.
Common symptoms include diarrhea, stomach cramps, fever, chills and headache, the Mayo Clinic says. Most people recover without treatment within a few days to a week.
Severity of illness from Salmonella infections ranges. Some patients will experience no symptoms, while others can develop life-threatening complications "if the infection spreads beyond the intestines" the Mayo Clinic says.
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Again, most healthy people will recover from Salmonella infections without treatment. But you should contact a health provider if you experience a fever higher than 102 degrees Fahrenheit, signs of dehydration, bloody diarrhea and/or diarrhea that is not improving after three days, the CDC says.
People with weakened immune systems, as well as infants and seniors, are at a higher risk for more serious infections.
Raw flour has also been linked to E. coli infections
In addition to Salmonella, raw flour can also contain E. coli, the CDC notes.
Over recent years – notably in 2016, 2019 and 2021 – the CDC has investigated E. coli outbreaks linked to raw flour and cake mix. Some investigations led to recalls.
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This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Raw flour, uncooked cookie dough tied to Salmonella outbreak, CDC says
