Nestle just put out a press release regarding its line of Toll House packaged cookie dough products. I thought it would be interesting to do a look-over for our readers.
“After almost two months of being out of the U.S. marketplace, Nestle USA is pleased to announce that NESTLE TOLL HOUSE refrigerated cookie dough is returning to stores this week.”
—I know people are anxious to get this popular baking product back in the retail market. We have fielded quite a few questions from people who contacted us through our website and blog looking for any information of when they could expect to see Nestle Toll House back on the store shelves.—
“To make it easy for both retail partners and consumers to identify the new batch of cookie dough, a blue “New Batch” label will appear on all new production cookie dough items. NESTLE TOLL HOUSE shipping cases also are marked in blue (rather than the previous black) to denote new production and will contain the statement: “Do not consume raw cookie dough.” The adoption of this distinct labeling is the result of helpful discussions between Food & Drug Administration (FDA) officials and Nestle, following reports of E. coli O157:H7 illnesses that appeared to be related to the consumption of raw cookie dough.”
—I find it interesting that they have adopted a more “stern” warning label, if you can call it that. “Do not consume raw cookie dough” does not offer a very comprehensive warning about the seriousness of the foodborne illness, E. coli O157:H7 or the seriousness of E. coli O157:H7’s life threatening complications such as hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS), a rare blood disease that is the number one cause of acute kidney failure for children in the U.S.
The point is that there will probably still be thousands of individuals that will continue the practice of eating raw cookie dough. The numerous internet groups devoted to its consumption says it all, people are pining for the cookie dough’s return with hopes of nibbling on uncooked portions. The threat to one’s health that foodborne illnesses like E. coli O157:H7 and Salmonella can cause needs to be made clear.
Plus, the warning label does not offer any advice on the dangers of cross contamination. You could never intentionally consume an uncooked portion of infected product, but bacteria like E. coli O157:H7 could end up contaminating every surface (including your own hands) that contacts the dough. More than 250,000 E. coli O157:H7 bacteria can fit on the head of a pin, but only ten are needed to induce illness. That is enough to fit on the point of a pin with thousands to spare. Are you positive you could disinfect a kitchen surface and not miss an area the size of a pinpoint?—
“Following the voluntary recall of all NESTLE TOLL HOUSE refrigerated cookie dough products in June and throughout the investigation, Nestle worked in full cooperation with the FDA to test their facility, production equipment, processes, ingredients and finished product to ensure that NESTLE TOLL HOUSE cookies meet the high standards consumers have come to expect.”
—Almost all food recalls are “voluntary”. This is where the foodborne illness tort system serves such an important function in food safety. It is difficult for agencies like the FDA or USDA to actively pull potentially contaminated product from store shelves. So what is a company’s motivation for removing a product? The answer is corporate fear of injured consumers seeking fair compensation for being made ill. As the FDA has slowly turned from a consumer watchdog to corporate lap dog, our tort system has been holding food manufacturers and processors responsible for shortcuts and putting profits before people.—
“We’re proud to place Nestle Toll House refrigerated cookie dough back on store shelves,” said Paul Bakus, General Manager, Nestle USA Baking Group. “While the FDA inspection at our Danville, Virginia facility has concluded, Nestle’s commitment to food safety continues, as does our intensive testing. We test ingredients as they arrive and our cookie dough as it’s made. We hope families around the country will continue to enjoy our cookies.”
— Intensive testing of ingredients as they arrive is a sound decision, if the contamination occurred from an ingredient and not from a machine or water source. But the fact is that no one knows where the contamination occurred and without knowing the source, it may be difficult to prevent a recurrence of E. coli O157:H7. —
“Consumers who purchased the recalled products should not consume them. Instead, Nestle asked that consumers return these products to their local grocer for a full refund. Nestle has also strongly advised consumers that cookie dough should not be consumed raw as their product labels caution. Consumers with questions are invited to contact Nestle Consumer Services at 1-800-559-5025 or to visit our web site at www.verybestbaking.com.”
— Once again, Nestle comes back to the warning labels. The foodborne pathogen that predicated the recall was E. coli O157:H7. There is no warning label out there that can fully protect you and your family from this terrible microbe. Severe illnesses like hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS) and heartbreaking fatalities can only be prevented when this pathogen NEVER makes it into food in the first place. —
About Nestle USA
Named one of “America’s Most Admired Food Companies” in Fortune magazine for the twelfth consecutive year, Nestle USA provides quality brands and products that bring flavor to life every day. From nutritious meals with Lean Cuisine(R) to baking traditions with Nestle(R) Toll House(R), Nestle USA makes delicious, convenient, and nutritious food and beverage products that enrich the very experience of life itself. That’s what “Nestle. Good Food, Good Life” is all about. Nestle USA, with 2008 sales of $10 billion, is part of Nestle S.A. in Vevey, Switzerland — the world’s largest food company with a commitment to Nutrition, Health & Wellness — with sales of $101 billion. For product news and information, visit Nestleusa.com or NestleNewsroom.com.”
— It is interesting to read about how Nestle is a giant international food company. Many of the books I have been reading, Michael Pollan’s In Defense of Food and Paul Robert’s The End of Food, address some of the problems with our current food system. One of the recurring themes is that enormous food conglomerates are just too big to manage issues like food safety, issues that require detailed micromanagement and the utmost attention. I hope some of that $101 billion is earmarked for improved food testing and safety, not just for Nestle Toll House cookies but all Nestle products. The American people deserve it. Heck, they’ve paid for it. Stay tuned.—
Richard J. Arsenault, 2010
