FDA Warns Not to Eat Nestle Refrigerated Cookie Dough

FDA Warns Not to Eat Nestle Toll House Prepackaged, Refrigerated Cookie Dough

On June 19, 2009, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) warned consumers not to eat any varieties of prepackaged Nestle Toll House refrigerated cookie dough due to the risk of contamination with E. coli O157:H7 (a bacterium that causes foodborne illness).

What to Do

• Throw away any prepackaged, refrigerated Nestle Toll House cookie dough products you may have in your home.
  
• Do not cook the dough because you might get the bacteria on your hands and on other cooking surfaces.
  
• Contact your health care professional immediately if you or your family have recently eaten the dough and have had stomach cramps, vomiting or diarrhea, with or without bloody stools.

If you have additional questions about the recalled products, contact Nestle consumer services at 800-559-5025 or visit the company’s Web site.

What Action Has Been Taken?

• Nestle has voluntarily recalled all varieties of prepackaged, refrigerated Toll House cookie dough and is fully cooperating with the ongoing investigation by FDA and CDC.
  
• CDC is conducting an ongoing study with the help of several state and local health departments.

Since March 2009, there have been 66 reports of illness across 28 states. Of 25 people who were hospitalized, 7 have a severe complication called Hemolytic Uremic Syndrome. No one has died.

About E. coli O157:H7

• The bacteria cause stomach cramping, vomiting, and diarrhea, often with bloody stools.
  
• Most healthy adults can recover completely within a week.
  
• Young children and the elderly are at highest risk for developing Hemolytic Uremic Syndrome, which can lead to serious kidney damage and even death.

Safe Food Handling

FDA reminds consumers they should not eat raw food products that are intended for cooking or baking before eating. Use safe food-handling practices when preparing these products, including

• following package directions for cooking at proper temperatures
  
• washing hands, surfaces, and utensils after contact with these types of products
  
• avoiding cross-contamination
  
• refrigerating products properly

This article appears on FDA's Consumer Updates page, which features the latest on all FDA-regulated products.

Date Posted: June 19, 2009