Cookie recall prompts state action
By Phyllis Moore
Published in News on June 28, 2009 2:00 AM
A recall of certain packages of Nestle Toll House cookie dough means Wayne County day-care centers will get visits from state inspectors, officials at the Health Department said.
Kevin Whitley, director of environmental health, said the state initiated the response to the recall.
"Child developmental regional staff will be going out to all these permitted day cares to make sure there's none of this product on their shelves," he said.
The move is in response to action taken last week, when the Food and Drug Administration and the Centers for Disease Control issued a warning to consumers not to eat any variety of prepackaged Nestle Toll House refrigerated cookie dough. There was believed to be a risk of contamination with E.coli 0157:H7, a bacterium that causes food borne illness.
Nestle USA's baking division initiated the voluntary recall following reports of several people becoming ill after consuming the raw cookie dough.
According to a press release issued by Nestle, "While the E.coli strain implicated in this investigation has not been detected in our product, the health and safety of our consumers is paramount, so we are initiating this volunteer recall."
No other Toll House products were impacted, the release stated, including already-baked Toll House cookies, all varieties of Toll House morsels, chocolate baking bars or cocoa, as well as Dreyer's and Edy's ice cream products containing Nestle Toll House cookie dough ingredients.
"We want to strongly advise consumers that raw cookie dough should not be eaten," the release said. "This message also appears prominently on our packaging. Nestle Toll House cookies made from refrigerated dough are safe to consume when baked as directed on the package."
Consumers with additional questions about the recall are advised to call Nestle consumer services at 1-800-559-5025 or visit the Web site, www.verybestbaking.com.