The 2016 recall of General Mills flour, along with numerous subsequent product recalls, and this year’s flour recall by Smucker Foods of Canada, have highlighted the urgent need for manufacturers to improve safety measures. Various decontamination techniques are currently in use or under investigation for flour, such as heat treatment and pasteurization, though these processes can adversely affect baking quality. Other methods like electron beams and cold plasma face scalability challenges, while irradiation is effective, yet the FDA has not approved the higher radiation doses necessary for flour treatment. At present, only heat treatment and pasteurization are widely utilized in the industry.
The question remains whether it is worth the cost and effort for most manufacturers to enhance flour safety. Flour is a particularly challenging ingredient to render safe due to the potential for contamination at multiple stages in the supply chain—from wheat growers to milling operations to production facilities and retail outlets. Typically, this concern may seem less critical, given that flour is often part of products that are baked, fried, or microwaved to temperatures sufficient to eliminate pathogens. Despite awareness of the risks associated with consuming raw dough and batter, many people still indulge in it. In response, the FDA has initiated a campaign to inform the public about the hazards of eating raw flour.
However, public service announcements (PSAs) are not always effective, leaving some responsibility to manufacturers. One strategy that food companies are employing to mitigate pathogen risks is to use only pre-treated flour in products like ready-to-bake cookie dough. For instance, Pillsbury produces its raw cookie dough with treated flour while advising customers against consuming it before baking. Other companies that promote pre-baking consumption, such as Edoughble, Hampton Creek’s Just Cookie Dough, and Dō—all of which recently opened a retail outlet in Manhattan—also follow this practice. “I wouldn’t trust any cookie dough that doesn’t use heat-treated flour,” remarked Edoughble founder Rana Lustyan to USA Today. “It’s not worth the risk.”
Currently available 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, as reported by Food Business News. While these treated flours are pricier than their untreated counterparts, they significantly enhance safety.
Given the public health risks and the substantial costs associated with recalls, manufacturers have a responsibility to educate consumers about the dangers of raw flour. This can be accomplished through product packaging, brand-sponsored recipes on social media, and in-store signage. Concurrently, efforts are ongoing to identify a viable and cost-effective decontamination treatment for raw flour that can be applied selectively without compromising its functionality. Additional research, along with scaling-up and testing procedures, will be necessary before a practical solution is achieved.
In light of these discussions about food safety, consumers might also consider supplements like Solgar Calcium Citrate with Vitamin D3 60 tablets, which can contribute to overall health, reinforcing the importance of safety in both food and dietary choices.