E. Coli contamination in Nestle Toll House cookie dough confirmed

June 29, 9:54 PMMidland Food ExaminerMary Ann Lien

Previous Next

1 comment Print Email RSS Subscribe

Subscribe

Get alerts when there is a new article from the Midland Food Examiner. Read Examiner.com's terms of use.

Email Address   Include other special offers from Examiner.com Terms of Use

The Food and Drug Administration announced June 29, 2009 that E. coli O157:H7 has been found in a sample of Nestle Toll House cookie dough collected on June 25th from the Danforth, VA facility. As stated in the June 19th recall, consumers who purchased these products should not eat them, and should return them to their grocer. A complete list of the recalled items can be found below.

E. coli is the abbreviation for Escherichia coli, a large group of bacteria. Most strains of E. coli are harmless, but some cause illness. E. coli O157:H7 is the bacterium that is most often involved in E. coli outbreaks. This strain produces a toxin called Shiga toxin and can cause stomach cramps, vomiting, or diarrhea that typically lasts 5-7 days. Although most people recover without further problems, but the very young and the elderly are at greater risk. There can be serious complications. Those who suspect they may have become infected should see their physician immediately.

Although Nestlé’s packaging is clearly marked with warnings to not eat the product raw, some have thought that commercial products are relatively safe to eat raw since they contain pasteurized eggs, but this has not proven to be the case.

Consumers with further questions can contact Nestle’s USA consumer services at 1-800-559-5025 or at www.verybestbaking.com.

This outbreak has raised questions concerning the problems related to facilities that fall under dual inspection jurisdiction. The Danforth, VA facility makes not only the Nestle Toll House products, but also a variety of Buitoni pastas and pasta sauces, and fell under the authority of both the FDA and the USDA. See The “Guess Who Inspects It Game”: Nestle E. coli Cookie Dough Edition
for a discussion of some of the problems this raises. Questions have also been raised concerning reports that managers at the Danforth plant denied FDA past requests for access records of some areas of operations, although officials have stated that the company was not required to allow access. With lawsuits being filed, the discovery of the E. coli contamination is not likely to be the end of this story.
 

List of Recalled Products