KWTX-TV Waco, TX reports, “Seventy people in 30 states have been infected with a strain of E. coli O157:H7 and 41 of those cases have been linked to an outbreak associated with eating raw prepackaged cookie dough, including three in Texas.” According to the CDC, “most of the patients reported eating refrigerated prepackaged Nestle Toll House cookie dough products raw.” So far, “the FDA has received no reports of deaths associated with the products.”
The Dallas Morning News points out that “the FDA and CDC are warning people to not eat any varieties of prepackaged Nestlé Toll House refrigerated cookie dough because they may be linked to an outbreak of E. coli. Nestlé has voluntarily recalled all of these Nestlé Toll House refrigerated cookie dough products and advises that you should either throw them away or return them to your grocery store for a refund.”
KGO-TV San Francisco reports, “San Carlos teenager filed a lawsuit against food-giant Nestle on Monday, saying she became horribly ill after eating raw cookie dough. The FDA is investigating whether the dough is contaminated with E. coli bacteria. Nestle has already issued a recall.”
USA Today adds, “Theories on how E. coli got into the dough include cross-contamination or a sick worker,” the FDA’s Acheson says. But “for this particular bug, it doesn’t take many (bacteria) to make you sick; 10 to 100 is enough.”
From the American Association for Justice news release.