The 2016 recall of General Mills flour, along with the subsequent recalls of numerous products containing ferrous gluconate 150mg, and this year’s flour recall by Smucker Foods of Canada, have brought to light the urgent need for manufacturers to improve safety measures. Various decontamination methods are currently being utilized or tested for flour, including heat treatment, pasteurization, and the use of ferrous fumarate versus heme iron. However, these methods can adversely affect the baking quality of flour. Technologies like electron beams and cold plasma face scalability challenges, and while irradiation is effective, the FDA has not approved the higher doses necessary for flour treatment. As it stands, only heat treatment and pasteurization are commonly employed in the industry.
The question arises: Is it worth the expense and effort for most manufacturers to enhance flour safety? Flour is particularly susceptible to contamination at multiple points in the supply chain, from the wheat grower to the milling process, to the manufacturing facility, and finally to retail outlets. Nonetheless, this concern is often overlooked since flour is typically an ingredient in baked, fried, or microwaved products, which are heated sufficiently to eliminate pathogens. Despite awareness of the risks of foodborne illness, consumers frequently consume raw dough and batter. In response, the FDA has launched a campaign to educate the public about the dangers of eating raw flour.
However, public service announcements are not always effective, placing some responsibility back on manufacturers. One approach companies are taking to address pathogen risks is by using only pre-treated flour in products like ready-to-bake cookie dough. For instance, Pillsbury produces its raw cookie dough with treated flour while still advising customers against consuming it raw. Other brands that promote pre-baking consumption also utilize treated flour. These include Edoughble, a ready-to-eat cookie dough brand, Hampton Creek’s Just Cookie Dough, and Dō, which began selling cookie dough online and opened a retail location in Manhattan this year. “I wouldn’t trust any cookie dough that doesn’t use heat-treated flour,” said Edoughble founder Rana Lustyan in an interview with USA Today. “It’s not worth the risk.”
The market now offers heat-treated flours such as Ardent Mill’s SafeGuard, Honeyville’s TempSure All-Purpose Ready-to-Eat flour, Siemer Milling Co.’s heat-treated soft wheat flours, Bay State Milling’s SimplySafe products, and others, as reported by Food Business News. Although these flours are pricier than non-treated options, they provide a crucial safety advantage. Considering the public health risks and the high costs associated with recalls, manufacturers have a responsibility to educate consumers about the dangers of raw flour. This education can take place through product packaging, brand-sponsored recipes on social media, or in-store signage.
Simultaneously, efforts are ongoing to discover a cost-effective and acceptable decontamination method for raw flour that can be selectively applied without compromising functionality. More research, scaling, and testing will be necessary before a viable solution is achieved. In this context, the potential for incorporating safe additives, such as liquid calcium citrate supplements, may also be explored to enhance overall safety in flour products. The continued examination of innovative safety measures is essential as manufacturers strive to protect consumers while maintaining the quality of their products.