The holidays are upon us and many families will be baking with flour, but how many families are handling flour safely?
Flour is a raw ingredient that must be cooked before consuming. The grain is cleaned in the field and in the flour mill; however, it is not cooked or baked during this process. The cleaning process is minimal which means there are harmful bacteria still present which can cause food poisoning. Escherichia coli (E.coli) and Salmonella are different forms of the bacteria that can cause food poisoning, with symptoms including fever, stomach cramps, and vomiting. Symptoms of E.coli can begin 3-4 days after ingesting the bacteria and last for about a week; symptoms of salmonella can begin 6 hours to 6 days after the ingestion and last for 4 to 7 days.
Due to the long shelf life of flour and certain recalls from the CDC, it is important to check your kitchen for any flour or baking ingredients on FDA’s recall list. Another great resource is the Foodkeeper app to stay on top of the USDA’s updated food safety list.
Safety Tips when Handling Raw Flour:
- Washing with soap and water for at least 20 seconds will ensure your safety when handling raw flour and raw flour products.
- To avoid any additional cross-contamination, always wash your tools and surfaces with hot water and soap.
- Follow all baking instructions and do not eat foods with flour before they are fully cooked; this means no raw cookie dough or batters.
- Heat treat raw flour: Researchers at Rutgers University found that you can make raw flour safe using your home oven by following these steps:
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Spread the flour ¾ inches deep or less on a baking sheet.
- Bake for six minutes.
- Wait for the flour to cool down, then use as you normally would use raw flour.
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