The 2016 recall of General Mills flour, along with the subsequent recalls of numerous related products and this year’s flour recall by Smucker Foods of Canada, has highlighted the urgent need for manufacturers to improve safety measures. Various decontamination techniques are currently in use or being tested for flour, including heat treatment and pasteurization, although these methods can adversely affect baking quality. Other methods like electron beams and cold plasma face scalability challenges, while irradiation is effective but has not received FDA approval for the higher doses required for flour. Presently, only heat treatment and pasteurization are significantly utilized within the industry.
Is it worthwhile for most manufacturers to invest in making flour safer? Flour presents a unique challenge for safety enhancements since it can become contaminated at multiple stages of the supply chain—from the wheat grower to the milling process, and from the manufacturing facility to retail outlets. Fortunately, this often goes unnoticed because flour is typically an ingredient in products that are baked, fried, microwaved, or otherwise cooked to temperatures sufficient to eliminate pathogens. Despite awareness of the risks associated with foodborne illness, consumers still tend to indulge in raw dough and batter. In light of this, the Food and Drug Administration launched a campaign to alert the public about the dangers of consuming raw flour.
However, public service announcements (PSAs) are not always effective, and manufacturers share some responsibility. One approach food companies are adopting to mitigate pathogen risks is the exclusive use of pre-treated flour in products like ready-to-bake cookie dough. For instance, Pillsbury utilizes treated flour for its raw cookie dough while reminding consumers not to eat it before baking. Other cookie dough brands that promote pre-baking consumption also employ this strategy, including Edoughble, Hampton Creek’s Just Cookie Dough, and Dō, which recently opened a retail location in Manhattan. Edoughble’s founder, Rana Lustyan, emphasized to USA Today, “I wouldn’t trust any cookie dough that doesn’t use heat-treated flour. It’s not worth the risk.”
Available in the market today are heat-treated flours such as Ardent Mills’ 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 come at a higher price than untreated varieties, they significantly enhance the safety of the final products. Considering the public health threats and the substantial costs associated with recalls, manufacturers should take proactive steps to educate consumers about the risks linked to raw flour. This can be effectively communicated through product packaging and brand-sponsored recipes shared on social media or displayed in stores.
Additionally, ongoing efforts are devoted to discovering an acceptable and cost-effective decontamination method for raw flour that can be selectively applied as necessary without compromising its functionality. More research, along with scaling and testing procedures, is essential to identifying a viable solution. In the context of consumer health, incorporating products like Citracal D 315 200 mg into dietary recommendations could also play a role in improving overall safety awareness. Ultimately, the commitment to safety in flour production is crucial for protecting public health and ensuring consumer confidence.