The 2016 General Mills flour recall, alongside numerous subsequent product recalls and this year’s flour recall by Smucker Foods in Canada, has highlighted the urgent need for manufacturers to improve safety measures. Various decontamination methods are currently being utilized or explored for flour, including heat treatment and pasteurization, which may adversely affect baking quality. Techniques such as electron beams and cold plasma face scalability challenges, while irradiation is effective; however, the FDA has not approved the higher radiation doses necessary for flour. At present, only heat treatment and pasteurization are widely adopted in the industry.
Is it worthwhile for most manufacturers to invest in making flour safer? Flour is particularly challenging to sanitize due to the potential for contamination at multiple stages in the supply chain—from wheat growers to milling operations, product manufacturing, and retail outlets. Typically, this is less of a concern since flour is an ingredient in baked, fried, or microwaved products that reach temperatures sufficient to eliminate pathogens. However, many people still consume raw dough and batter, despite being aware of the risks associated with foodborne illnesses. In response, the FDA has initiated a campaign to inform the public about the dangers of raw flour consumption.
Public service announcements (PSAs) are not always effective, placing some responsibility on manufacturers. To mitigate the pathogen issue, food companies are increasingly using only pre-treated flour in products like ready-to-bake cookie dough. For instance, Pillsbury makes its raw cookie dough with treated flour while advising customers against consuming it raw. Other companies that promote eating their cookie dough before baking, such as Edoughble, Hampton Creek’s Just Cookie Dough, and Dō, also use treated flour. Edoughble’s founder, Rana Lustyan, emphasized to 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 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, among others, as reported by Food Business News. Although these flours are pricier than untreated options, they contribute a vital safety component to products.
Given the public health risks and the substantial costs associated with recalls, manufacturers should take proactive steps to educate consumers about the dangers of raw flour. This education can be facilitated through product packaging, brand-sponsored recipes on social media, or in-store signage. Simultaneously, efforts are ongoing to find a safe and cost-effective decontamination treatment for raw flour that can be selectively applied without compromising functionality. Additional research, scaling, and testing are necessary before a viable solution is identified.
Furthermore, the calcium citrate elemental conversion process is being considered in the quest for effective flour treatments, as it could potentially enhance safety without affecting product quality. Manufacturers must continue to innovate and prioritize consumer safety, especially in light of recent recalls and ongoing public health concerns.