Toll House cookie-dough products recalled in E. coli probe; 5 illnesses in Washington state

Nestlé USA voluntarily has recalled its Toll House refrigerated cookie-dough products after a number of illnesses were reported by those who ate the dough raw — including five people in Washington state.

The company said the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the Centers for Disease Control are investigating reported E. coli illnesses that might be related to eating the dough.

In a statement, the FDA said there have been 66 reports of illness across 28 states since March. About 25 people have been hospitalized, but no one has died.

At least seven people have suffered hemolytic uremic syndrome, said Michael Herndon, an FDA spokesman. The syndrome is a serious condition that can cause sudden and acute kidney failure, usually in children.

In Washington, two of the five reported cases resulted in hospitalization, although all of the patients have since recovered, said Gordon MacCracken, spokesman for the Washington State Department of Health.

"It's been nearly a month now since a reported case in Washington state," MacCracken added.

The latest Washington case was reported May 21 in King County when a teenager was hospitalized, MacCracken said.

The other Washington case that resulted in hospitalization involved an man in Grays Harbor County who was hospitalized after his symptoms began May 6.

Three other Washington cases resulted in symptoms, but the people were not hospitalized, MacCracken said. They include a teenager in Thurston County who reported symptoms May 12; a child in Pierce County who reported symptoms May 15; and a boy in King County who reported symptoms May 20.

E. coli is a potentially deadly bacterium that can cause bloody diarrhea, dehydration and, in the most severe cases, kidney failure.

Although health officials cannot definitively say the cookie dough is the cause of the problem, "we think that it is," MacCracken said.

"We would emphasis that if people do have this product that they do not use it," MacCracken added.

The FDA advised consumers to throw away any prepackaged, refrigerated Nestlé Toll House cookie-dough products in their homes. Retailers, restaurateurs and employees at other food-service operations should also not sell or serve any of the products.

Nestlé spokeswoman Roz O'Hearn said "this has been a very quickly moving situation," adding the company took action less than 24 hours after hearing of the problem.

O'Hearn said the company will "cooperate fully" with the FDA's investigation.

The recall includes refrigerated cookie bar dough, cookie dough tub, cookie dough tubes, limited edition cookie dough items, seasonal cookie dough and Ultimates cookie bar dough. It extends to chocolate chip dough and other varieties, including gingerbread, sugar and peanut butter cookie dough. It does not affect any other Toll House products, including ice cream that contains Toll House raw cookie dough.

The FDA also said consumers should not try to cook the dough, even though eating cooked dough would be safe, because consumers might get bacteria on their hands and on counters and other cooking surfaces.