Cookie dough pulled from shelves, 2 illnesses in Arizona

Reported by: Blair Tomlinson
Email: btomlinson@abc15.com
Last Update: 11:24 am

Consumers should not eat Nestle Toll House Prepackaged, Refrigerated Cookie Dough due to the risk of E.coli contamination, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said Friday.

Both agencies said people should remove the product from their homes due to the risk of spreading bacteria to cooking materials or their hands.

The product has voluntarily been removed the product from grocery store shelves.

The recall includes all flavors and varieties of Nestle Toll House refrigerated Cookie Bar Dough, Cookie Dough Tub, Cookie Dough Tube, Limited Edition Cookie Dough items.

Consumers can return any Nestle cookie dough products to stores for a full refund, Nestle USA said.

Since March, there have been 66 cookie dough related illnesses in 28 states, with 25 of them resulting in hospitalization, but no deaths.

Two cases have been in Arizona, according to Laura Oxly of Arizona's Department of Health Services.

FDA spokesman Michael Herndon said the recall is a precaution, and that there is no evidence of E.coli contamination based on lab results at this time.

"This is a precautionary move based on CDC case control studies to prevent other possible illness associated with a suspect product. The company concurs based on their recall efforts," Herndon said.

E.coli symptoms include:
· abdominal cramping
· vomiting
· diarrheal illness
· bloody stools

Tollhouse cookie dough consumers who have additional questions about these products should contact Nestle consumer services at 800-559-5025, or visit their website.

http://www.abc15.com