The 2016 recall of General Mills flour, along with the numerous downstream product recalls it triggered, and this year’s flour recall by Smucker Foods of Canada, have underscored the urgent need for manufacturers to enhance safety measures. Currently, several decontamination techniques are being utilized or tested for flour, including heat treatment and pasteurization, though these methods can adversely affect baking quality. Other approaches, such as electron beams and cold plasma, face scalability challenges. While irradiation is effective, the FDA has yet to approve the higher doses necessary for flour treatment. At present, the industry primarily relies on heat treatment and pasteurization.
For many manufacturers, the question remains: is it worth the investment and effort to improve flour safety? Flour is particularly challenging to secure against contamination, as it can be compromised at various stages of the supply chain—from the wheat grower to the milling process, to the manufacturing facility, and finally to retail outlets. Typically, this concern is somewhat mitigated since flour is an ingredient in products that are baked, fried, microwaved, or otherwise heated to sufficient temperatures to eliminate pathogens. However, consumers often indulge in raw dough and batter, despite being aware of the risks of foodborne illness. In light of this, the FDA has initiated a campaign to alert the public about the dangers associated with raw flour consumption.
Nonetheless, public service announcements may not always achieve the desired impact, placing some responsibility on manufacturers. One effective strategy that food companies are adopting is the use of pre-treated flour in products like ready-to-bake cookie dough. For instance, Pillsbury produces its raw cookie dough using treated flour while advising customers against consuming it prior to baking. Other cookie dough brands that promote pre-baking consumption, such as Edoughble, Hampton Creek’s Just Cookie Dough, and Dō, follow suit. “I wouldn’t trust any cookie dough that doesn’t use heat-treated flour,” stated Edoughble founder Rana Lustyan in an interview with USA Today. “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, as reported by Food Business News. Although these treated flours are pricier than their untreated counterparts, they significantly enhance product safety.
Considering 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 effectively communicated through product packaging and brand-sponsored recipes shared on social media or in-store displays.
Meanwhile, research continues to identify a suitable and cost-effective decontamination method for raw flour that can be selectively applied and will not compromise functionality. More investigation, along with scaling-up and testing procedures, will be necessary before a feasible solution is reached. In this context, products like vitafusion calcium citrate might not directly relate to flour safety, but they highlight the importance of addressing consumer health concerns in food production. Ultimately, as manufacturers work to enhance flour safety, they should also consider how well-informed consumers can make healthier choices, such as opting for products that incorporate vital nutrients like those found in vitafusion calcium citrate.