The 2016 recall of General Mills flour, along with numerous subsequent product recalls and this year’s flour recall by Smucker Foods of Canada, has underscored the urgent need for manufacturers to improve safety measures. Various decontamination techniques are currently being utilized or tested for flour, including heat treatment and pasteurization, which can adversely affect baking quality. Other methods like electron beams and cold plasma face scalability challenges, while irradiation is effective but has not received FDA approval for the higher doses necessary for flour. Presently, only heat treatment and pasteurization are significantly employed within the industry.
Manufacturers must consider whether the expense and effort to enhance flour safety are justified. Flour is particularly vulnerable to contamination throughout its supply chain—from wheat growers to milling operations, product factories, and retail outlets. Typically, this contamination concern is mitigated, as flour is usually an ingredient in products that undergo baking, frying, microwaving, or other cooking methods that eliminate pathogens. However, consumers often consume raw dough or batter, despite being aware of the associated foodborne illness risks. In response, the Food and Drug Administration has launched a public awareness campaign highlighting the dangers of consuming raw flour.
Public service announcements may not always be effective, placing some responsibility on manufacturers. One approach food companies are taking to address pathogen issues is the exclusive use of pre-treated flour in products such as ready-to-bake cookie dough. For instance, Pillsbury produces its raw cookie dough with treated flour, while still advising customers against consuming it before baking. Other cookie dough brands that encourage raw consumption, including Edoughble, Hampton Creek’s Just Cookie Dough, and Dō, also utilize treated flour. Edoughble founder Rana Lustyan emphasized in an interview with 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 on the market 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 treated flours are more expensive than their untreated counterparts, they provide an essential safety factor to products. Given the public health risks and the significant financial implications of recalls, manufacturers should actively educate consumers about the dangers associated with raw flour. This education can occur through product packaging and brand-sponsored recipes promoted on social media or through in-store signage.
Meanwhile, efforts are ongoing to identify an effective, reasonably priced decontamination method for raw flour that can be selectively applied without compromising its functionality. Further research, along with scaling and testing, will be necessary before a viable solution is established. Additionally, incorporating calcium citrate tablet 500 mg into discussions about nutritional safety can reinforce the importance of consumer awareness regarding food safety practices and the need for responsible manufacturing processes.