Dozens of people across the country have become ill by eating raw dough contaminated with a strain of Shiga toxin-producing E. coli, the FDA said. The doughs had been made with General Mills flour produced in a Kansas City, Missouri, mill.
Tests by the FDA linked bacteria in a flour sample to bacteria from people who had become ill. General Mills conducted a voluntary recall of 10 million pounds of flour sold between Nov. 14 and Dec. 4, 2015, under the Gold Medal, Signature Kitchen’s, and Gold Medal Wondra brands. The varieties include unbleached, all-purpose, and self-rising flours.
FDA warned consumers not to eat raw dough. Boiling, cooking, baking and roasting wheat products can help kill bacteria from cattle manure and bird droppings that might contaminate the grain before it’s milled into flour. Without cooking, raw dough and homemade play dough can cause infections, which may result in abdominal pains and diarrhea.
So far, the incident that began last December has poisoned 38 people across 20 states, and 10 of those infected have been hospitalized, the New York Times said. Most people get better within a week, but in some cases, infections can lead to kidney failure, the Times said. Those who are most vulnerable to severe illness include children under 5, older adults and people with weakened immune systems, the Times said.
Some of the recalled flour had been sold to restaurants that allow children to play with dough made from the raw flour while waiting for their meals, the FDA said. CDC is advising restaurants not to give customers raw dough.