Public Health Advisory: FDA & CDC Warn Consumers Not to Eat Nestle Toll House Prepackaged, Refrigerated Cookie Dough

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention(CDC) are warning 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 type of bacteria that causes food borne illness). Nestlé USA’s Baking Division initiated a voluntary recall of Nestlé® TOLL HOUSE® refrigerated cookie dough products on June 19, 2009 http://www.fda.gov/Safety/Recalls/ucm167954.htm.

The FDA advises that consumers should throw away any prepackaged, refrigerated Nestle Toll House cookie dough products in their home. Cooking the dough is not recommended because consumers might get the bacteria on their hands and on other cooking surfaces.

The warning is based on an ongoing epidemiological study conducted by the CDC and several state and local health departments. Since March 2009 there have been 65 reports of illness across 28 states. Four cases have been reported in Massachusetts.

These four cases range in age from 15 to 25 years, and reported becoming ill between 4/26/09 and 5/29/09. The cases occurred in Middlesex, Essex and Worcester counties. Two of the four cases reported eating the recalled product during their incubation period. Interviews with the remaining two cases are ongoing. All four cases were hospitalized but have fully recovered.E. coli O157:H7 is a type of bacteria that can cause bloody diarrhea, dehydration, and in the most severe cases, kidney failure. The very young, the elderly and persons with weakened immune systems are the most susceptible to foodborne illness.

Anyone with signs or symptoms of foodborne illness should consult their health care provider, local board of health, the DPH Epidemiology Program at 617-983-6800 or the DPH Food Protection Program at 617-983-6712.

For a complete list of recalled Nestle products, click HERE.
Click here for the DPH Factsheet on E. coli O157:H7.

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This post was originally published on the MA DPH blog, Commonwealth Conversations, and is reproduced here with the kind permission of the MA DPH.