Cookies are good, and for some, raw cookie dough is even better! For several years, we have observed a craze for the preparation which has not yet been hardened by heat, as shown by this American brand which markets raw cookie bars or this New York restaurant which has made the recipe its speciality. While mania may seem fun and innocuous, it actually carries risks that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC; the main US federal agency for public health protection) warn against. . Indeed, cookie dough can cause infections, even if it does not contain eggs which, eaten raw, can be responsible for contamination with salmonella from the shell (every year, salmonella causes 450 Americans dead and infections in 1.5 million:Mashable ).
Health experts reveal that raw flour can also contain E. coli bacteria, which can cause gastroenteritis, urinary tract infections or meningitis. It is very serious ! The cookie dough found in ice cream and in stores (we don't have that yet in France, and it's not necessarily essential, by the way...) has been treated beforehand and freed of bacteria. In summary, avoid dipping your finger in the cake preparations or licking the spoon if you don't want to get sick (a bit of self-control with the upcoming holiday cooking!). And after all, desserts are still better cooked, right?
