OHA investigating 4 Oregon salmonella cases tied to eating Papa Murphy’s raw cookie dough; 18 cases reported nationwide
(Update: CDC reports 18 infection across six states; two hospitalized)
Take-and-bake chain temporarily stops selling raw chocolate ship, S'mores cookie dough
PORTLAND, Ore. (KTVZ) — Four recent cases of Salmonella infection in Oregon are being linked to the consumption of Papa Murphy’s raw cookie dough, which now includes at least 18 infections across six states, state and federal health officials announced Tuesday.
Oregon Health Authority epidemiologists investigated a cluster of four cases with identical strains of Salmonella bacteria. The cases range in age from 20 to 57 and reported onset of symptoms between April 1 and April 21. None of the cases were hospitalized, and there have been no deaths. The Washington State Department of Health has reported matching cases of Salmonella as well.
Eating raw cookie or S’mores Bar dough sold by Papa Murphy’s restaurants was significantly associated with contracting this strain of Salmonella. Papa Murphy’s, headquartered in Vancouver, Wash., sells uncooked or “take-and-bake” pizzas and cookie dough that are intended to be baked at home.
"People should contact a health care provider if they believe they’ve had symptoms of salmonellosis, including diarrhea, after eating raw cookie dough," said Paul Cieslak, M.D., medical director for communicable diseases and immunizations at the OHA Public Health Division. "It’s important to remember, though, that most people with salmonellosis will recover without needing medical care or antibiotics."
He added: "We recommend anyone who has any of the potentially contaminated cookie or S’mores Bar dough to discard it and wash your hands afterward." People who have eaten cookie or pizza dough but not gotten sick do not need to notify a health care provider.
OHA epidemiologists are working closely with the Washington State Department of Health, the Oregon Department of Agriculture and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to investigate the outbreak. Efforts to trace the source of the Salmonella are ongoing.
The CDC said in late March it was investigating a salmonella outbreak linked to flour, and urged people not to eat or play with uncooked dough or batter.
And on Tuesday, the CDC issued a food safety alert regarding a multistate outbreak of Salmonella infections at https://www.cdc.gov/salmonella/enteritidis-05-23/index.html.
Key Points:
- CDC, along with state and federal partners, is investigating reports of 18 Salmonella infections in 6 states. Two people have been hospitalized and no deaths have been reported.
- Interviews with sick people show that raw cookie dough sold at Papa Murphy’s Take ‘N’ Bake Pizza stores may be contaminated with Salmonella and may be making people sick. People reported eating the cookie dough raw.
- Papa Murphy’s has temporarily stopped selling their raw chocolate chip cookie dough and raw S’mores bars dough.
- Investigators are working to identify the contaminated ingredient in the raw cookie dough.
- The true number of sick people is likely higher than the number reported, and the outbreaks may not be limited to the states with known illnesses. This is because some people recover without medical care and are not tested for Salmonella.
What You Should Do:
- Check your refrigerator and freezer for Papa Murphy’s chocolate chip cookie dough or S’mores bars dough. Throw the dough away, even if you didn’t get sick after eating some of it.
- Wash items and surfaces that may have touched the dough using hot soapy water or a dishwasher.
- Always follow cookie dough baking instructions in the recipe or on the package label.
- Papa Murphy’s chocolate chip cookie dough and S’mores bars dough are not meant to be eaten raw.
- Some other companies make edible cookie dough that does not have to be baked. These products are made with heat-treated flour and pasteurized eggs or no eggs. Read the label carefully to make sure the dough is meant to be eaten without baking or cooking.
About Salmonella:
- Most people infected with Salmonella develop diarrhea, fever, and stomach cramps 6 hours to 6 days after being exposed to the bacteria.
- The illness usually lasts 4 to 7 days, and most people recover without treatment.
- In some people, the illness may be so severe that the patient is hospitalized. Salmonella infection may spread from the intestines to the bloodstream and then to other parts of the body.
- Children younger than 5, adults 65 and older, and people with weakened immune systems are more likely to have severe illness.
During 2013–2022 — the most recent 10-year period — Oregon averaged 459 (range, 337–585) reported cases of salmonellosis per year. Most people infected with Salmonella develop diarrhea, fever and abdominal cramps one to seven days after exposure. The illness usually lasts four to seven days.
Although most people recover without treatment, some have severe infections. Infants, elderly people and those with weakened immune systems are more likely to develop severe illness. Salmonella may spread from the intestines to the bloodstream and then to other body sites and, in rare cases, can be deadly.
For general information, visit OHA’s salmonellosis page, or the CDC’s Salmonella page.
Other resources:
