We all know its tasty, but eating raw cookie dough is really not worth the risk and you should listen when your mom tells you to cut it out. Here’s the thing though, unlike what your mother told you, it might not be the raw eggs that are the problem. According to the CDC, only one in every 20,000 eggs is infected with salmonella. Egg regulations and preparation methods have vastly improved over the years to ensure that even raw eggs are safe to eat.
The surprising culprit is in fact, the flour. Here’s a dose of reality that you might not want. The truth is that when animals defecate, the bacteria in the poop gets into the soil where grain grows. That contaminated grain gets turned into flour and the bacteria is still there – alive and well in the form of the well-known E. Coli.
It’s not the first time raw flour has been the culprit for an E. Coli problem. In 2009 a woman died after eating a batch of Nestle Tollhouse cookie dough that was made with infected flour. Although Nestle started treatment on their flour, not every company and restaurant has done the same so it would be wise to play it safe. If you really can’t kick the habit, try finding a recipe for cookie dough that will avoid the dangerous ingredients.