Flour Safety
We would like to remind our customers that there are safe ways to handle and consume flour, including never eating raw dough or batter, which is clearly stated on our packaging.
Additional tips for handling flour safely:
- Wheat, which is a natural product grown in fields, is milled to become flour. Wheat, like all plants, has naturally occurring bacteria and other organisms present in the environment. Flour is considered a raw ingredient and it should never be consumed without being cooked or baked first.
- It is rare for consumers to get sick from flour, however it can happen, and again, it is highly advised that one should always cook or bake their flour. The bacteria that can be found in raw flour is eliminated through properly cooking and baking of one's flour or dough. It is important to follow all package and recipe instructions, ensuring that you cook and bake at proper temperatures and for the specified times.
- Stop before you lick the raw dough or batter from your spoon, no matter how good it may look or taste! Even if you have not gotten sick before, it is not worth the risk to you or your family members as food borne illnesses are serious.
- After cooking or baking, all surfaces, hands, and utensils need to be properly cleaned after they have made contact with raw flour, dough, or batter. This includes surfaces or cutting boards that have been dusted with flour to roll your cookies or pies.
At King Arthur food safety is always a top priority so we urge you to abide by these safety tips. More information on the safe handling of flour is available on the FDA's website.
