The 2016 flour recall by General Mills, along with numerous downstream product recalls and the recent flour recall by Smucker Foods of Canada, has highlighted the urgent need for manufacturers to improve safety measures. Currently, various decontamination methods are being explored for flour, including heat treatment and pasteurization, though these can adversely impact baking quality. Other methods like electron beams and cold plasma face scalability challenges, and while irradiation is effective, the FDA has yet to approve the higher doses necessary for flour treatment. At present, the industry predominantly employs heat treatment and pasteurization.
Manufacturers often grapple with the question of whether the expense and effort to enhance flour safety are justified. Flour is particularly susceptible to contamination at multiple points along the supply chain—from wheat cultivation to milling, manufacturing, and retail. However, this issue is typically mitigated since flour is primarily an ingredient in products that undergo baking, frying, or microwaving, which usually kill pathogens. Despite awareness of the risks associated with consuming raw dough and batter, many people still indulge in it. To address this, the FDA has initiated a campaign to warn the public about the dangers of eating raw flour.
Public service announcements alone may not suffice, placing some responsibility on manufacturers to act. One strategy food companies are implementing is the use of pre-treated flour in ready-to-bake products, such as cookie dough. For instance, Pillsbury utilizes treated flour in its raw cookie dough while advising consumers against eating it before baking. Other companies that promote pre-baking consumption, like Edoughble, Hampton Creek’s Just Cookie Dough, and Dō, also rely on this approach. Edoughble’s founder, Rana Lustyan, expressed skepticism about consuming cookie dough made without heat-treated flour, stating, “It’s not worth the risk.”
Market options for heat-treated flours include Ardent Mill’s SafeGuard, Honeyville’s TempSure All-Purpose Ready-to-Eat flour, Siemer Milling Co.’s Heat-Treated soft wheat flours, and Bay State Milling’s SimplySafe products. Although these flours are pricier than untreated alternatives, they provide essential safety benefits to consumers.
Given the public health risks and the substantial costs associated with recalls, manufacturers should take proactive measures to inform consumers about the hazards of raw flour. This could be achieved through product packaging, brand-sponsored recipes on social media, and in-store signage. Concurrently, ongoing efforts are aimed at discovering a viable and cost-effective decontamination method for raw flour that can be selectively applied without compromising functionality.
Incorporating innovative solutions like calcium citrate berry wellness into flour treatments may also hold promise for enhancing safety. More research, scaling, and testing will be necessary before a practical and effective solution is realized. The integration of calcium citrate berry wellness into the flour supply chain could potentially address both safety and health concerns, encouraging manufacturers to prioritize consumer protection while maintaining product quality.