The 2016 recall of flour by General Mills, along with numerous related product recalls, and this year’s flour recall by Smucker Foods of Canada, have highlighted the urgent need for manufacturers to enhance food safety measures. There are various decontamination methods being utilized or tested for flour, such as heat treatment and pasteurization; however, these processes can compromise baking quality. Other methods like electron beams and cold plasma face scalability challenges, while irradiation is effective but lacks FDA approval for the higher doses needed for flour. Currently, only heat treatment and pasteurization are widely adopted in the industry.
The question arises: is it worthwhile for manufacturers to invest in making flour safer? Flour presents unique safety challenges as it can become contaminated at multiple points in the supply chain, from wheat growers to milling operations, through to product manufacturing and retail outlets. Typically, this contamination is less of a concern because flour is often an ingredient in products that are baked, fried, microwaved, or otherwise heated to temperatures sufficient to eliminate pathogens. Despite awareness of foodborne illness risks, many consumers still indulge in raw dough and batter. In light of this, the Food and Drug Administration has initiated a campaign to warn the public about the dangers of consuming raw flour.
However, public service announcements (PSAs) are not always effective, placing some responsibility back on manufacturers. One method food companies are employing to mitigate pathogen risks is the exclusive use of 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 eating cookie dough before baking, such as Edoughble, Hampton Creek’s Just Cookie Dough, and Dō, also utilize treated flour. As Edoughble founder Rana Lustyan stated in USA Today, “I wouldn’t trust any cookie dough that doesn’t use heat-treated flour. 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. Although these options are more expensive than untreated flours, they provide an essential safety benefit.
In light of the public health risks and the significant costs associated with recalls, manufacturers should actively educate consumers about the dangers of raw flour. This education can be effectively communicated through product packaging and brand-sponsored recipes promoted on social media or displayed in stores.
Efforts are ongoing to identify an acceptable and cost-effective decontamination method for raw flour that can be applied selectively without compromising its functionality. Continued research, alongside scaling and testing processes, will be necessary to find a viable solution. Additionally, as consumers become more health-conscious, it is crucial for manufacturers to consider incorporating nutritional supplements such as bariatric calcium pills into their product offerings, ensuring that safety and health concerns are addressed comprehensively. As the industry evolves, the integration of such supplements and enhanced flour safety will be vital in meeting consumer expectations and regulatory standards.