Is raw cookie dough one of your guilty pleasures? Do the kids love to lick the cake batter from the bowl and mixing spoons? Well you may want to re-consider giving in to these sweet temptations because of e.coli contamination!

The CFIA has issued a recall first on Robin Hood flour, however it has spread to other brands. The main concern with the recall is the consumption of the flour in its raw/uncooked state. As well as the spread of the pathogen in the flour to other surfaces and equipment in the kitchen

E.coli lives in the intestines of animals and humans. It is commonly associated with under-cooked beef, specifically ground beef it can also found in contaminated water. Its transmission can occur through improper cooking temperatures, cross contamination, poor hand hygiene and ill food handlers.

However in this case, it is possible for the soil to be contaminated by an infected animal or rodent that walks through a wheat field and defecates there. Additionally, manure is commonly used in enriching soil. E.coli would then be gathered up by a wheat harvester and spread throughout the harvested grain.

14 So how do you protect yourself, your family or your customers?

1. If you still have the original packaging of your flour, check the CFIA website for exact codes to see if you are impacted by the recall.
2. Cook food thoroughly and don’t consume raw batter/flour
3. Clean and sanitize your kitchen equipment and surfaces after using flour
4. Wash hands thoroughly

Probe It Food Safety offers food safety workshops and certification courses that can help you in preventing food-borne illnesses.

For more information on the recall visit http://www.inspection.gc.ca/about-the-cfia/newsroom/food-recall-warnings/complete-listing/2017-04-16/eng/1492408217395/1492408220892