A salmonella outbreak linked to raw cookie dough has led to 18 cases in six states, according to the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Investigators tied the outbreak to two varieties of cookie dough sold at Papa Murphy’s Take ‘N’ Bake Pizza stores. The chain has 64 franchise locations in California, most of which are in Northern California and the Central Valley, according to the company’s website. The other states in which illnesses have been reported are Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Utah and Missouri.
Infected patients reported eating the cookie dough without baking it, though it is not meant to be eaten raw.
Two patients have been hospitalized, and no deaths have been reported. The number of cases in the outbreak is likely greater than those reported due to asymptomatic or mild cases of salmonella that do not require medical treatment, according to the CDC.
The outbreak is the second salmonella outbreak to reach California this month after a case from Gold Medal white flour was one of 13 cases reported. A third U.S. outbreak of 109 salmonella cases, tied to backyard poultry, has not been reported in the state.
Anyone who purchased either the chocolate chip cookie dough or the S’mores bars dough from Papa Murphy’s Take ‘N’ Bake Pizza is ordered to dispose of it to prevent illness. The CDC recommends washing surfaces and other items that may have come in contact with the dough.
Those infected with salmonella may experience diarrhea, fever and stomach cramps between six hours and six days after consuming the bacteria. Most cases resolve within four to seven days without treatment, though severe illness is possible, including among vulnerable populations.
