Stay Out of the Nestle Cookie Dough Bowl

Glendale, CAOn June 19, 2009, Nestle USA of Glendale, California, issued a nationwide cookie dough products recall after the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention FDA (CDC) officials linked consumption of uncooked cookie dough to 66 E. coli illnesses in 28 states since March. According to the New York Times, about 25 people have been hospitalized but no one has died. This food outbreak is one of several recent foodborne illnesses related to bacterial contamination, including a salmonella outbreak last winter that was traced to a peanut company.

Roz O'Hearn, spokeswoman for the company's baking division, said the company took action within 24 hours of learning of the problem. Nestle USA spokeswoman Laurie MacDonald said the company has temporarily stopped making the dough while the FDA investigates its factory.

About 300,000 cases of Nestle Toll House cookie dough are affected by the recall, which covers chocolate chip dough, gingerbread, sugar, peanut butter dough and other varieties. Nestle's website says that no other of its products are impacted, including already baked Toll House cookies purchased outside the home, all varities of Nestle Toll House Morsels, chocolate Baking Bars, or Cocoa, and Dreyer's and Edy's ice cream products with Nestle Toll House cookie dough ingredients.

The FDA and the CDC advise consumers to throw away any of the Toll House refrigerated cookie dough products they have in their homes and that cooking the dough is not recommended (although it would be safe to eat when cooked) because consumers might get the bacteria on their hands and on other cooking surfaces.

Retailers, restaurants, and their employees should not sell or serve any of the products.

Below is the list of recalled products:
Description Consumer Unit Code (UPC)

Nestle Toll House Cookie & Brownie Dough
COOKIE & BROWNIE DOUGH BAR
Chocolate Chip bar 16.5oz 0 50000 62231 3
Chocolate Chip bar 16.5oz 0 50000 11308 8
Chocolate Chunk bar 16.5oz 0 50000 62235 1
Walnut Chocolate Chip bar 16.5oz 0 50000 62233 7
Jumbo Chocolate Chip bar 16.5oz 0 50000 62237 5
Oatmeal Raisin bar 16.5oz 0 50000 06219 5
Sugar Cookies bar 16.5oz 0 50000 62244 3
Sugar Cookies bar 16.5oz 0 5000012178 6
Mini Chocolate Chip bar 16.5oz 0 50000 62242 9
Mini Chocolate Chip bar 16.5oz 0 5000012188 5
Mini Brownie Bites bar 16oz 0 50000 62227 6
Fudgy Brownie With Peanut Butter Filling 19oz 0 50000 00820 9

COOKIE DOUGH TUB
Chocolate Chip tub 40oz 0 50000 62246 7
Chocolate Chip tub 80oz (5 lb) 0 50000 00934 3
Sugar tub 40oz. 0 50000 62253 5
Gingerbread tub 40oz 0 50000 44060 3
Peanut Butter tub 40oz 0 50000 44062 7

TUBE (CHUB) DOUGH
Chocolate Chip tube 16.5oz 0 50000 62239 9
Chocolate Chip tube 32oz 0 50000 00400 3

ULTIMATES COOKIE BAR DOUGH
Ultimates Peanut Butter Cups, Chips & Chocolate Chunks bar 16oz 0 50000 00922 0
Ultimates White Chip Macadamia Nut bar 16oz 0 50000 00923 7
Ultimates Chocolate Chip & Chunks with Pecans bar 16oz 0 50000 00925 1
Ultimates Chocolate Chip Lovers 16oz 0 50000 00926 8
Ultimates Turtles bar 16oz 0 50000 00928 2
Ultimates Peanut Butter Lovers bar 16oz 0 50000 00507 9
Ultimates Chocolate Chip with Caramel Filling bar 16oz 0 50000 44066 5
Ultimates Chocolate Chip with Chocolate Filling bar 16oz 0 50000 44069 6

SEASONAL COOKIE & BROWNIE DOUGH
Valentine Hearts Sugar Cookie Shapes 15.5oz 0 50000 12009 3
Valentine Swirled Chocolate Chip bar 16oz 0 50000 00931 2
Fudgy Brownies With Raspberry Filling 19oz 0 50000 20090 0
Easter Eggs Sugar Cookie Shapes 15.5oz 0 50000 52009 1
Easter Swirled Chocolate Chip bar 16oz 0 50000 00932 9
Easter Swirled Mini Brownie Bites bar 18 oz 0 50000 20093 1
Red, White & Blue Swirled Choc Chip bar 16oz 0 50000 00937 4
Halloween Pumpkin Pals Sugar Cookies 13.5oz 0 50000 06217 1
Halloween Swirled Chocolate Chip bar 16oz 0 50000 00929 9
Halloween Swirled Fudgy Brownies bar 18oz 0 50000 00088 3
Christmas Shapes Sugar Cookies 15.5oz 0 50000 00505 5
Christmas Swirled Chocolate Chip bar 16oz 0 50000 00930 5
Christmas Swirled Fudgy Brownies bar 18oz 0 50000 00089 0
Limited Edition Mint Swirled Chocolate Chip 16oz 0 50000 00827 8

Discontinued Varieties
Valentine Hearts Sugar Cookies 13.5oz 0 50000 44056 6
Easter Brownie Bar 18oz 0 50000 00518 5
Easter Bunnies Sugar Cookies 13.5oz 0 50000 44058 0
Halloween Sugar Shapes 15.5oz 0 50000 00829 2
Christmas Sugar Cookie Tube 16oz 0 50000 00448 5
Oatmeal Cranberry Cookie Tub 48 oz. 0 50000 62229 0

E. coli is a potentially deadly bacterium that can cause bloody diarrhea, dehydration and, in the most severe cases, kidney failure. Healthy individuals can usually recover from an E. coli infection, although the bacteria can lead to serious kidney damage and even death in the most susceptible portions of the population--children and the elderly.