The 2016 recall of General Mills flour, along with numerous associated product recalls and this year’s flour recall by Smucker Foods of Canada, has highlighted the pressing need for manufacturers to improve safety measures. There are various decontamination methods currently being employed or explored for flour, including heat treatment and pasteurization, although these techniques can adversely impact baking quality. Other methods like electron beams and cold plasma face scalability challenges, while irradiation is effective, yet the FDA has not approved the higher doses necessary for flour treatment. Presently, only heat treatment and pasteurization are widely utilized within the industry.
Manufacturers face a dilemma: is it worth the investment and complexity to enhance flour safety? Flour is particularly susceptible to contamination at multiple points along the supply chain—from wheat growers to milling operations and product manufacturing to retail outlets. Typically, this may not be of great concern since flour is usually an ingredient in products that undergo baking, frying, microwaving, or other heating processes that effectively eliminate pathogens. However, the trend of consuming raw dough and batter persists, despite awareness of foodborne illness risks. In response, the FDA has initiated a campaign to raise public awareness about the dangers of consuming raw flour.
Public service announcements, however, are not always effective, placing some responsibility on manufacturers. To mitigate pathogen risks, food companies are increasingly using only pre-treated flour in products like ready-to-bake cookie dough. For instance, Pillsbury’s raw cookie dough is made with treated flour, while still advising consumers against pre-baking consumption. Other brands that promote the enjoyment of cookie dough before baking, such as Edoughble, Hampton Creek’s Just Cookie Dough, and Dō, also employ treated flour. “I wouldn’t trust any cookie dough that doesn’t use heat-treated flour,” Edoughble founder Rana Lustyan remarked to USA Today. “It’s not worth the risk.”
Currently available heat-treated flours in the market include Ardent Mill’s SafeGuard, Honeyville’s TempSure All-Purpose Ready-to-Eat flour, and Bay State Milling’s SimplySafe products, among others. Although these treated flours are pricier than untreated options, they significantly enhance product safety. Given the public health risks and the substantial costs associated with recalls, manufacturers should actively educate consumers about the hazards of raw flour; this can be achieved through product packaging and brand-sponsored recipes on social media or in-store signage.
Simultaneously, ongoing efforts aim to discover an affordable decontamination treatment for raw flour that can be selectively applied without compromising functionality. More research, along with scaling and testing, is necessary before a feasible solution can be realized. In this context, it is also pertinent to mention that consumers often inquire about various additives, such as “what is calcium citrate?” which underscores the importance of transparency and education in the food industry. Manufacturers must not only enhance safety but also provide clear information about ingredients and treatments to foster informed consumer choices.