Nestle Takes Steps to Improve Food Safety
Nestlé will start using heat-treated flour to produce its Nestlé Toll House refrigerated cookie dough after two samples of its refrigerated cookie dough manufactured at its Danville, Va., facility had tested positive for E. coli O157:H7.
Nestlé will start using heat-treated flour to produce its Nestlé Toll House refrigerated cookie dough. The move by Nestlé USA’s Baking Division comes after it informed the Food & Drug Administration on Jan. 11 that two samples of its refrigerated cookie dough manufactured at its Danville, Va., facility had tested positive for E. coli O157:H7. The process of converting to heat-treated flour began on Jan. 13 and will result in a temporary suspension of production, according to the company. Nestlé will begin using the new ingredient later this month and the new cookie dough will appear on grocery store shelves in early March.
Consumers may notice some shortages on store shelves as they implement this change at the factory, according to the Solon, Ohio-based division.
In 2009, Nestlé USA voluntarily recalled refrigerated cookie dough after the FDA and Centers for Disease Control notified they were conducting an investigation into reported E. coli O157:H7 illnesses that may have been related to consumption of raw cookie dough. The product was re-launched in August 2009 following a thorough investigation of the Danville plant and the rollout of a "best-in-class" testing protocol. The quality assurance protocol includes testing ingredients before they enter the facility, environmental sampling throughout the facility and testing of finished product before it is shipped to customers.
During the latest incident on Jan. 11, the finished product in question never left the Danville factory or entered the supply chain, and none was shipped to customers, according to Nestlé. Product currently on store shelves displaying the "New Batch" sticker is not affected, and no product is being recalled, the company notes.
"Consistent with our quality standards for Nestlé Toll House refrigerated cookie dough, this change will only further enhance the safety of our products," says Paul Bakus, general manager, Nestlé USA Baking Group.
Nestlé will start using heat-treated flour to produce its Nestlé Toll House refrigerated cookie dough. The move by Nestlé USA’s Baking Division comes after it informed the Food & Drug Administration on Jan. 11 that two samples of its refrigerated cookie dough manufactured at its Danville, Va., facility had tested positive for E. coli O157:H7. The process of converting to heat-treated flour began on Jan. 13 and will result in a temporary suspension of production, according to the company. Nestlé will begin using the new ingredient later this month and the new cookie dough will appear on grocery store shelves in early March.
Consumers may notice some shortages on store shelves as they implement this change at the factory, according to the Solon, Ohio-based division.
In 2009, Nestlé USA voluntarily recalled refrigerated cookie dough after the FDA and Centers for Disease Control notified they were conducting an investigation into reported E. coli O157:H7 illnesses that may have been related to consumption of raw cookie dough. The product was re-launched in August 2009 following a thorough investigation of the Danville plant and the rollout of a "best-in-class" testing protocol. The quality assurance protocol includes testing ingredients before they enter the facility, environmental sampling throughout the facility and testing of finished product before it is shipped to customers.
During the latest incident on Jan. 11, the finished product in question never left the Danville factory or entered the supply chain, and none was shipped to customers, according to Nestlé. Product currently on store shelves displaying the "New Batch" sticker is not affected, and no product is being recalled, the company notes.
"Consistent with our quality standards for Nestlé Toll House refrigerated cookie dough, this change will only further enhance the safety of our products," says Paul Bakus, general manager, Nestlé USA Baking Group.
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