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Food Safety Tips

The Associated Press

Health experts generally advise against eating any dough or batter raw, but that is usually because they contain eggs, which sometimes carry the bacteria salmonella.

A different germ — E. coli — triggered the voluntary recall Friday by Nestle USA of its Toll House refrigerated cookie dough products after the U.S. Food and Drug Administration reported related illnesses in dozens of people who ate the dough. The federal Centers for Disease Control is investigating the national outbreak.

Salmonella can contaminate meat, eggs, milk, seafood, vegetables and fruit. It is often spread in food contaminated during processing or by unsafe handling by consumers. People also can get the germ by touching an infected animal or its food.

E. coli can be spread through uncooked or undercooked meat and eggs, unpasteurized milk and juice, and water contaminated with human or animal waste. Both bacteria cause stomach illness. The O157:H7 strain of E. coli can cause serious illness and even lead to kidney failure and death.

Here are some food safety tips from the FDA:

—NEVER EAT EGGS RAW. If you want to eat cookie dough without cooking it, and you are making it at home, consider using pasteurized eggs.

—WASH WELL. Always thoroughly wash your hands, food and cooking surfaces and utensils before and after preparing any food that could be contaminated, and after touching any animals that could carry salmonella, particularly reptiles.

—COOK SUFFICIENTLY. Many bacteria can be destroyed when food is cooked to recommended temperatures. However, Nestle and the FDA are recommending that no one bake or eat the products being recalled in any form.

—CHILL PROMPTLY. Stow perishables as soon as you bring them home, and check that your refrigerator is at 40 degrees Fahrenheit or below and your freezer at zero degrees Fahrenheit or below.

—ALWAYS OBEY RECALLS. For a constantly updating list of food and drug recalls, check http://www.fda.gov/Safety/Recalls/default.htm . For information on food-borne germs that can make people sick, visit http://www.fda.gov/Food/ResourcesForYou/Consumers/ucm103263.htm.