Cookie Dough Warning

Just about all of us love cookies. But if you're one who also loves eating cookie dough, pay attention.

A new study, published in the journal Clinical Infectious Disease found that the culprit of a multi-state E.coli food poisoning outbreak was ready-to-bake prepackaged cookie dough. This dough was the type found in most grocery stores. Although the Centers For Disease Control doesn't know which ingredient caused the widespread sickness that landed many in the hospital, it's probably not what most of us think would be the dangerous part of the batter, the eggs. Instead researchers think this outbreak was because of the flour used in the batter. Other ingredients, including the eggs, molasses and sugar go through a rigorous process to kill germs, the flour does not. And that contaminated dough can cause food poisoning if the batter is eaten raw.

The CDC is recommending that manufactures make all ingredients safe to eat. But in the meanwhile the researchers involved in this study are asking that we simply bake cookies before eating them. Although the dough might taste good, it might also cause you to end up in the hospital.