from CDC and Clinical Infectious Diseases journal
Prepackaged cookie dough comes with warnings not to eat the uncooked dough. However, an investigation into an outbreak of E-coli illness found that eating uncooked cookie dough appears to be a popular practice. Researchers at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention suggest a stronger warning not to eat prepackaged cookie dough before it’s baked. An article in the journal Clinical Infectious Diseases says the 2009 outbreak was identified in thirty states and, although no single source of the illness was identified, scientists suspect contaminated raw flour may have been to blame. CDC researchers also suggest manufacturers of pre-packaged cookie dough reformulate the product so it would be safe as a ready-to-eat food item. Until then, heed the warning on cookie dough packages.