US: Nestle cookie dough is recalled

20.jun.09
New York Times
Gardiner Harris
USA Today/Associated Press

Nestlé USA recalled its Toll House refrigerated cookie dough Friday after health
officials linked the dough to infections from the bacteria E. coli in as many as 66
people in 28 states.
The Food and Drug Administration advised consumers to throw out any Nestlé
refrigerated cookie dough they may have. Although cooking may kill the bacteria,
handling the raw dough could spread the contaminant to hands and cooking surfaces.
Nestlé is telling consumers to return cookie and brownie dough products to grocers
for a full refund.
Health officials alerted the company Wednesday evening that the cookie dough was a
prime suspect.
"Based on that information, we made the decision to proactively withdraw the
product," said Laurie MacDonald, a Nestlé spokeswoman. Ms. MacDonald added that
Nestlé's cookie dough products should never be eaten raw.
Dr. Timothy F. Jones, Tennessee's state epidemiologist, said, "We're all having
trouble figuring out how E. coli O157 gets in cookie dough. This wasn't on anybody's
radar screen."
Nestlé has a reputation for strict food safety measures. For example, employees of
the Peanut Corporation of America, the source of a nationwide contamination scare in
January, said in interviews that Nestlé sent an inspector to its plant and found so
many safety problems that the company refused to buy from Peanut Corporation. Many
other large food buyers were not so thorough.
Public health officials have been investigating the E. coli outbreak since March.
Twenty-five people have been hospitalized so far, including seven who suffered a
severe complication called hemolytic uremic syndrome. No one has died.
Retailers, restauranteurs and employees at other food-service operations should also
not sell or serve any of the products.
Nestle spokeswoman Roz O'Hearn said "this has been a very quickly moving situation."
She says the company took action less than 24 hours after hearing of the problem.
O'Hearn said the company will cooperate fully with the FDA's investigation.
The recall includes refrigerated cookie bar dough, cookie dough tub, cookie dough
tubes, limited edition cookie dough items, seasonal cookie dough and Ultimates
cookie bar dough. It does not affect any other Toll House products.