(WAND) - It’s time for holiday baking and if you’re tempted to lick the bowl or utensils after putting together those yummy treats together, health officials are saying don’t do it.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, consuming unbaked food could make you sick. Kids could also get sick from handling raw dough used in crafts if they don’t properly wash their hands.
Most people know that eggs can contain salmonella if the eggs aren’t cooked properly.
Every year the CDC reports 1.2 million salmonella illness. There are about 450 deaths per year in the United States.
The CDC also says that it’s not just eggs. Some flours aren’t treated for germs such as E. Coli. In 2016 and 2019 there were two outbreaks of E. coli infections linked to raw flour. Over 80 people became sick.
Dough that is made to be edible is safe to consume, according to the CDC.
The CDC suggests the following safe practices to avoid getting ill:
- Do not taste or eat any raw dough or batter, whether for cookies, tortillas, pizza, biscuits, pancakes or crafts made with raw flour, such as homemade play dough or holiday ornaments.
- Do not let children play with or eat raw dough, including dough for crafts.
- Bake or cook raw dough and batter, such as cookie dough and cake mix, before eating.
- Follow the recipe or package directions for cooking or baking at the proper temperature and for the specified time.
- Do not make milkshakes with products that contain raw flour, such as cake mix.
- Do not use raw, homemade cookie dough in ice cream. Cookie dough ice cream sold in stores contains dough that has been treated to kill harmful bacteria.
- Keep raw foods such as flour or eggs separate from ready-to eat foods. Because flour is a powder, it can spread easily.
- Follow label directions to refrigerate products containing raw dough or eggs until they are cooked.
- Clean up thoroughly after handling flour, eggs or raw dough: Wash your hands with running water and soap after handling flour, raw eggs, or any surfaces that they have touched.
- Wash bowls, utensils, countertops and other surfaces with warm, soapy water.
