To taste or not, just say 'NO' to raw dough ahead of Christmas, cautions CDC

what-is-salmonella

CDC (Centre for Disease Control, United States) has warned people to avoid raw cookie dough, ahead of Christmas season. Many people in the country used to have raw doughs using this time, and CDC has warned that tasting unbaked foods may make people infected.

As per CDC experts, flour and raw eggs used to prepare raw dough often contain bacteria and salmonella that has the capability to make people sick.

"When you prepare homemade cookie dough, cake mixes, or even bread, you may be tempted to taste a bite before it is fully cooked. But steer clear of this temptation—eating or tasting unbaked products that are intended to be cooked, such as dough or batter, can make you sick. Children can get sick from handling or eating raw dough used for crafts or play clay, too," wrote CDC on their website.

CDC revealed that flour is basically an agricultural product which might not have treated to kill germs like E.Coli. Experts also asked people to eat flour only after it is cooked properly.

"Flour is typically a raw agricultural product. This means it hasn't been treated to kill germs like Escherichia coli (E. coli). Harmful germs can contaminate grain while it's still in the field or at other steps as flour is produced. The bacteria are killed when food made with flour is cooked. This is why you should never taste or eat raw dough or batter," added CDC.

CDC experts also urged people to avoid eating flours which are being stored in houses even after their expiry date. They also revealed that E.Coli bacteria outbreak which made 63 people ill in 2016 was connected to recalled raw flour.

The authority also urged people to seek immediate medical attention if they face health issues after consuming raw flour or flour related food products.

A few months back, a study conducted by researchers at the University of Mauritius has found that multiple usages of kitchen towels will put households at the risk of food poisoning. The research report revealed that multiply used kitchen towels often gets contaminated with E.Coli bacteria which will trigger diseases like diarrhea and abdominal pain among victims.

This article was first published on December 10, 2018
READ MORE