Many people tend to taste their recipes while they cook the food despite understanding the risks of having raw foods. Recently, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has warned that people should not taste or eat raw cake mix as it might lead to a severe illness. The agency officials have been examining a possible link between raw cake mix and an outbreak of E. coli. Health experts have said that people should not taste or eat undercooked cake mix or its ingredients before it is completely ready. The CDC has been gathering data regarding the outbreak of E. coli with the help of local public health officials and the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to find out the cause of the bacterial contamination. Health officials from the CDC have said that people should bake store-bought and homemade cake mixes for sufficient time in the oven before eating them. Experts have cautioned that consuming raw cake batter might lead to serious illness as it might contain deadly bacteria. When raw cake mix is properly baked or cooked in the oven for enough time, it kills the bacteria. As per an investigation that has been conducted by the CDC, nearly 16 people have fallen sick across 12 states in the US after they have been diagnosed with E. coli. States such as Virginia, Massachusetts, South Carolina, Michigan, Ohio, Indiana, Nebraska, Illinois, Utah, Oregon, Iowa, and Washington have reported confirmed cases of E. coli. Around eight of 16 patients have been interviewed by the health experts so far. All of them have said that they have tasted or eaten raw cake mix within a week before they have fallen ill. All of them have had diverse brands and varieties of the cake mix.
The officials from the CDC have confirmed that all known patients of E. coli have been women who have been in the age group of 2 to 73 years with an average age of 13 years. Health experts have said that around seven of 16 infected patients have been admitted to the hospital due to their severe condition. However, no deaths have been reported yet. One of the 16 infected patients has been diagnosed with a kind of kidney failure that is known as hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS). The officials from the CDC have said that E. coli can lead to symptoms of food poisoning, stomach cramps, vomiting, and diarrhea. They have said that raw batter might carry E. coli bacteria that can lead to severe food poisoning if eaten without properly cooking it. As per the CDC observations, symptoms of bacterial infection differ in each patient. More often, infection leads to bloody vomiting and diarrhea and a low-grade fever of nearly 101 degrees Fahrenheit. Health experts have said that infection lasts for five to seven days and patients feel better after a week. The federal agency has said that the majority of people who are infected with E. coli start feeling ill three to four days after eating contaminated food. Patients can start showing up symptoms anywhere from one to 10 days after being exposed to bacteria, said the experts.
Health experts from the CDC who have been investigating the outbreak of E. coli have said that anyone who is suffering from diarrhea that is lasting for more than three days or those who are dealing with diarrhea along with a fever that is greater than 102 degrees Fahrenheit and so much vomiting that they are not able to keep liquids down in stomach should immediately consult their health care providers. While the investigation into cake mix is in process, experts have said that people should avoid tasting or eating any kind of raw cake mix dough to keep the infection at bay. The agency has recently released Say No To Raw Dough food safety initiative. The initiative says that in 2016 and 2019, nearly two outbreaks of E. coli have sickened nearly more than 80 people in the United States. Health experts have warned about raw or undercooked eggs as well. They have said that undercooked eggs might contain bacteria known as Salmonella, a deadly bacteria that can result in food poisoning if consumed. Health experts from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) have said that people should not taste or consume raw cake mix dough or batter whether it is for tortillas, pancakes, biscuits, cookies, pizza, or crafts that are prepared out of raw flour such as homemade play dough or holiday decoratives. They have warned that parents should not allow children to play with or eat homemade play-dough. As per the new initiative, people should try to avoid using raw flour in recipes like smoothies and milkshakes. People should wash their hands and surfaces after handling raw flour or dough. If people are using packaged cake mix, they should make sure that they are following instructions and recipes mentioned on the packet correctly and baking the food at the right temperature for a specified time in the oven.
