The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has issued an information guide on how to safely flour while cooking and baking during the holidays.
Flour is a raw powder made by processing raw grains grown in fields, but that processing does not kill bacteria such as Salmonella and pathogenic E. coli. Consuming raw food can result in illnesses in varying degrees of severity.
When handling flour, the FDA recommends the following:
Ӣ Follow directions on baking mix packages and other flour-containing products for the correct cooking times and optimal cooking temperature.
Ӣ Keep flour separated from ready-to-eat foods to avoid accidentally consuming raw flour.
”¢ Refrigerate cookie and pastry dough as stated by their package directions. Use a refrigerator thermometer to ensure your appliance is at a safe temperature of 40°F or below for raw food storage.
Ӣ Thoroughly clean your hands with soap and running water after handling raw flour and foods that contain raw flour. Also, clean your cooking utensils, countertops, and supplies (bowls, baking pans, cutting boards, etc.) with warm, soapy water.
”¢ Don’t eat or taste raw dough products or baking mix. The flour within the food products may contain bacteria that could make you sick.
”¢ Don’t allow raw dough products to be used as crafts or play clay. Young children often put their hands in their mouths, which could introduce harmful bacteria from raw dough into their bodies and make them sick.
”¢ Don’t use products that contain raw flour, like cake mix or raw batter, to make or consume ready-to-eat products, like milkshakes or ice cream.
