A new study published in the New England Journal of Medicine last week reveals that raw flour is the cause of bacteria—specifically Shiga toxin-producing E. coli bacteria (STEC). STEC can enter the human body when consuming uncooked foods such as cookie dough and cake batter, delicacies that have traditionally been known to cause illness due to another raw food item—eggs.
The research was prompted after General Mills recalled three of its flour products—Gold Medal, Signature Kitchen’s, and Gold Medal Wondra—in June and July of 2016. Over 10 million pounds of flour was pulled from store shelves after a multistate E. coli outbreak was linked to at least 56 reports of illness in 24 states.