The 2016 recall of General Mills flour, along with numerous subsequent product recalls and this year’s flour recall by Smucker Foods of Canada, has underscored the urgent need for manufacturers to improve safety measures. Various decontamination techniques are currently in use or under exploration for flour, such as heat treatment and pasteurization, which can adversely affect baking quality. Electron beams and cold plasma face scalability challenges, while irradiation is effective but lacks FDA approval for the higher doses necessary for flour. Currently, heat treatment and pasteurization are the primary methods employed in the industry.
Is it worth the cost and effort for manufacturers to ensure flour safety? Flour is particularly challenging to sanitize because it can become contaminated at multiple points in the supply chain—from the wheat grower to the milling facility, through to the factories producing the end products and the retail outlets. However, this is often not a significant concern since flour is typically an ingredient in products that are baked, fried, microwaved, or otherwise subjected to high temperatures that eliminate pathogens. Despite awareness of foodborne illness risks, many people still consume raw dough and batter. In response, the FDA initiated a campaign to raise awareness about the dangers of eating raw flour.
Public service announcements (PSAs) may not be entirely effective, leaving some responsibility with manufacturers. One approach food companies are taking to mitigate the pathogen issue is by using only pre-treated flour in products like ready-to-bake cookie dough. For example, Pillsbury utilizes treated flour in its raw cookie dough while advising consumers against eating it raw. Other cookie dough brands that promote pre-baking consumption, such as Edoughble, Hampton Creek’s Just Cookie Dough, and Dō, also follow this practice. 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.”
Some heat-treated flour products available on the market 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 offerings. These options are pricier than untreated flours but provide the critical safety advantage.
Given the public health risks and the financial implications of recalls, manufacturers should take action to inform consumers about the dangers of raw flour. This can be achieved through product packaging, brand-sponsored recipes on social media, and in-store signage. Meanwhile, efforts are ongoing to identify an effective and reasonably priced decontamination method for raw flour that can be selectively applied when necessary without compromising its functionality. Further research, scaling, and testing will be required to arrive at a viable solution.
As we explore the safety of flour, it’s worth noting the ongoing discussion about calcium lactate vs calcium citrate in food products. Both have distinct applications and benefits, which could potentially extend to flour safety measures. Manufacturers might consider these alternatives as part of their overall strategy to enhance food safety, as they assess how to implement effective solutions while balancing cost and functionality.