Don’t lick the beaters. I bet you’re saying “but we’ve always done it—and haven’t gotten sick.” I know you think I’m a spoil sport saying this, but it’s not worth the risk. Especially for young children or people that are more at risk for a foodborne illness.

I recently attended a class called “On the Rise: Consumer’s Perceptions of Flour” that was sponsored by the Partnership for Food Safety Education. The speaker was Ron Burke from Ardent Mills, one of the biggest flour milling companies in the United States.

Burke stressed that most people aren’t aware or don’t think that eating raw flour can be dangerous. But it is. Flour is a raw agricultural product that comes from wheat. This wheat could be contaminated as it is growing by birds and other animal waste. When the wheat is harvested, milled and turned into flour it is only minimally processed and not treated to kill bacteria, germs or other contaminants. Bleaching and enriching flours do not kill pathogens either.

Raw flour may contain Escherichia coli (E. coli) or Salmonella that can cause food poisoning. Both of these pathogens were found in flour and linked to illnesses in 2016, 2017, 2021 and 2023. They have also been linked to flour recalls.

The illnesses caused by these pathogens can have mild symptoms such as upset stomach or diarrhea or there may be more severe. E.coli can be dangerous, especially to young children who are vulnerable because their immune systems are still developing, so their bodies aren’t able to fight off illness as well as adults. In children under 5 years old, E.coli infections can lead to hemolytic uremic syndrome, a severe complication that can cause chronic kidney disease, kidney failure and death. Older adults and those with suppressed immune systems are also at risk.

Both E. coli and Salmonella can be killed when raw flour is baked or cooked. Here are some ways to avoid ingesting uncooked flour:

• Do not eat any raw cookie dough, cake mix, batter, or any other raw dough or
  batter product that is supposed to be cooked or baked.
• Follow package directions for cooking products containing flour at proper
  temperatures and for specified times.
• Don’t allow children to play with or eat raw dough, including dough for crafts.
  Children may put these items or their hands in their mouth.
• Do not make milkshakes with products that contain raw flour such as cake mix.
• Handle raw flour as you would handle raw meat. Keep raw foods separate from
  other foods while preparing them to prevent any contamination that may be
  present from spreading. Be aware that flour may spread easily due to its powdery nature.
• Make sure you throw out any old flour and thoroughly wash out the container or
  bin that you use to store flour in, before adding in a new bag of flour.
• Follow label directions to chill products containing raw dough promptly after
  purchase until baked.
• Clean up thoroughly after handling flour or raw dough by washing your hands with running water and soup after handling flour. Also remember to wash the bowls, utensils, counter tops and other surfaces with warm, soapy water.

You may wonder about ice cream that has cookie dough in it. It is safe. Cookie dough ice creams sold is stores have been specifically developed to be safe. Be sure to read the label on all cookie dough product to see if they are intended to be eaten raw.

I’ve seen some recipes and instructions on-line for treating your own flour at home either in the microwave or oven to make it safe. According to the Partnership for Food Safety Education home treatments may not effectively kill all bacterial and do not make flour safe to eat raw.

Burke shared that Ardent Mills and other flour companies are working to develop flours for consumers that have been treated to reduce the risk. We may see these in our stores in the future.

Sources: Ohio State University Extension, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and Partnership for Food Safety Education (fightbac.org)

Syracuse is a Family and Consumer Science team member and can be reached at
clsyracu@ncsu.edu or N.C. Cooperative Extension, Brunswick County Center 910-253-2610