Published Date: 2009-06-23 23:50:00
Subject: PRO/AH/EDR> E. coli O157 - USA (02): refrigerated cookie dough
Archive Number: 20090623.2291
E. COLI O157 - USA (02): REFRIGERATED COOKIE DOUGH
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Date: Mon 22 Jun 2009
Source: CDC [edited]
<http://www.cdc.gov/ecoli/2009/0622.html>
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is collaborating
with public health officials in many states, the USA Food and Drug
Administration (FDA) and Department of Agriculture Food Safety and
Inspection Service (FSIS) to investigate an outbreak of _E. coli_
O157:H7 infections.
As of Mon 22 Jun 2009, 70 persons infected with a strain of _E. coli_
O157:H7 with a particular DNA fingerprint have been reported from 30
states. Of these, 41 have been confirmed by an advanced DNA test as
having the outbreak strain; the confirmatory test results are pending
on the others. The number of ill persons identified in each state is
as follows: Arizona (2), California (3), Colorado (5), Connecticut
(1), Delaware (1), Georgia (1), Hawaii (1), Iowa (2), Illinois (5),
Kentucky (3), Massachusetts (4), Maryland (2), Maine (3), Minnesota
(6), Missouri (2), Montana (1), North Carolina (2), New Hampshire
(2), New Jersey (1), Nevada (2), Ohio (3), Oklahoma (1), Oregon (1),
Pennsylvania (2), South Carolina (1), Texas (3), Utah (2), Virginia
(2), Washington (5), and Wisconsin (1).
Ill persons range in age from 2 to 65 years; however, 66 percent are
less than 19 years old; 75 percent are female. 30 persons have been
hospitalized, 7 developed hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS); none have
died. Reports of these infections increased above the expected
baseline in May 2009 and continue into June 2009.
Investigation of the Outbreak
------------------------------
In an epidemiologic study, ill persons answered questions about foods
consumed during the days before becoming ill and investigators
compared their responses to those of persons of similar age and
gender previously reported to State Health Departments with other
illnesses. Preliminary results of this investigation indicate a
strong association with eating raw prepackaged cookie dough. Most
patients reported eating refrigerated prepackaged Nestle Toll House
cookie dough products raw.
_E. coli_ O157:H7 has not been previously associated with eating raw
cookie dough. The CDC, the state health departments, and federal
regulatory partners are working together in this ongoing investigation.
Advice to Consumers
-------------------
The FDA and the CDC are warning consumers not to eat any varieties of
prepackaged Nestle Toll House refrigerated cookie dough due to the
risk of contamination with _E. coli_ O157:H7. If consumers have any
prepackaged, refrigerated Nestle Toll House cookie dough products in
their home they should throw them away. Cooking the dough is not
recommended because consumers might get the bacteria on their hands
and on other cooking surfaces. The recall does not include Nestle
Toll House morsels, which are used as an ingredient in many home-made
baked goods, or other already baked cookie products.
Individuals who have recently eaten prepackaged, refrigerated Toll
House cookie dough and have experienced any of these symptoms should
contact their doctor or health care provider immediately. Any such
illnesses should be reported to state or local health authorities.
Consumers should be reminded they should not eat raw food products
that are intended for cooking or baking before consumption. Consumers
should use safe food-handling practices when preparing such products,
including following package directions for cooking at proper
temperatures; washing hands, surfaces, and utensils after contact
with these types of products; avoiding cross contamination; and
refrigerating products properly.
Advice to Retailers, Restaurateurs, and Food-service Operators
----------------------------------------------------------------
Retailers, restaurateurs, and personnel at other food-service
operations should not sell or serve any Nestle Toll House
prepackaged, refrigerated cookie dough products subject to the recall.
--
Communicated by:
ProMED-mail
<promed@promedmail.org>
[A map of the states with cases can be found at the original URL. The
source of the outbreak strain in the product is not clear at this
point and it is also not known when during the manufacture that the
contamination occurred. Generic cookie dough (according to my wife)
contains flour, sugar, eggs and either butter or margarine.
This moderator would like also to mention that his son,
daughter-in-law and 6-year-old granddaughter had eaten most of a
container of the now recalled product prior to the recall. No
illness, fortunately, occurred. - Mod.LL]
See Also
E. coli O157 - USA: refrigerated cookie dough 20090619.22592008
----
E. coli O157 - USA (09): (WA), susp. 20081021.3336
E. coli O157 - USA (08): (CA), cooked beef 20081007.3181
E. coli O157, university students - USA (06): California lettuce 20081015.3266
E. coli O157, university students - USA: (MI) 20080922.2987
E. coli O157 - USA (07): (MA) alert 20080811.2475
E. coli O157 - USA: (OH, MI), unknown source 20080624.1947
E. coli O157, lettuce - USA: (WA) 20080606.1807
E. coli O157, restaurant - USA: (HI) 20080228.0811
2007
----
E. coli O157, ground beef - USA (multistate) (09) 20071126.3823
E. coli O157, ground beef - USA (multistate) (08): Canada 20071029.3511
E. coli O157, ground beef - USA (multistate) (04): 2nd
manufacturer 20071007.3304
E. coli O157, ground beef - USA (multistate) (03): CDC report 20071003.3272
E. coli O157, ground beef - USA (multistate): alert, recall 20070927.3201
E. coli O157, ground beef - USA (NY): alert, recall 20070926.3190
E. coli O157, ground beef - USA (WA, OR): alert 20070830.2855
E. coli O157, ground beef - USA (NY) 20070725.2387
E. coli VTEC, prisoners - USA (CO) (02) 20070714.2263
E. coli VTEC, prisoners - USA (CO): RFI 20070712.2236
E. coli O157, ground beef - USA (west) (03): expanded recall 20070611.1902
E. coli O157, ground beef - USA (west): recall 20070606.1831
E. coli O157, ground beef - USA (multistate): recall 20070514.1532
E. coli O157, steak - USA (PA): recall 20070426.1362
E. coli O157, restaurant - USA (CA) (03) 20070410.1204
E. coli O157, restaurant - USA (CA) 20070403.1131
E. coli O157, spinach - USA (multistate): 2006, FDA report 20070326.1051
E. coli O157, bagged salad greens - USA (multistate) 20070121.0288
E. coli O157, lettuce - USA (multistate): 2006 20070112.0158
2006
----
E. coli O157, fast food - USA (multistate) (05): lettuce 20061214.3516
E. coli O157, fast food - USA (IA, MN): lettuce 20061214.3515
E. coli O157, fast food - USA (multistate): green onions 20061206.3441
E. coli O157 - USA (NJ, NY) 20061205.3425
E. coli O157 - USA (NJ) 20061203.3415
E. coli O157, spinach - USA (multistate) (20) 20061027.3067
E. coli O157, spinach - USA (multistate): alert 20060915.2608
E. coli O157 - USA (multistate): unknown source 20060410.1068
E. coli O157, unpasteurized milk - USA (OR, WA) (04) 20060121.0199
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