Some cookie monsters want their cookies crispy but others prefer chewy.  For a lot of people who like Toll House cookies, the raw dough is better than the cooked stuff.  That raw dough can make you very sick these days, according to a joint statement from the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).  In a search for the source of E. coli contamination illnesses in 28 states, the agencies have narrowed the search to premade raw Toll House cookie dough made by Nestle.  A recall of 300,000 cases of the cookie dough, involving 47 different products, is under way.

According to the CDC, 66 cases of E. coli infestation have been reported since March.  People who become ill after consuming the bacteria face vomiting, cramping, and diarrhea that can be especially severe in elderly adults and young children.  In all 66 cases, the patient reported eating Nestle’s premade, refrigerated Toll House cookie dough without cooking it first.  So far, 25 people have required hospitalization but no one has died.

The two public health agencies are urging anyone who has gotten sick after eating this cookie dough to contact a physician right away.  Any unused product in the home needs to be thrown away.  The warning includes restaurants and other retailers, who should not sell or serve products made from the premade or prepackaged raw doughs under recall.

A spokesperson for Nestle says the particular strain of E. coli bacterium causing the illnesses hasn’t been conclusively linked to the company’s products but consumer health and safety is of paramount importance to the company.  After being informed on Wednesday that its products are under investigation, the company initiated a voluntary recall of these products.  The spokesperson also emphasized the need to cook these products, as directed on their labels, instead of eating them raw.

Nestle distributes pre-baked, fully cooked, Toll House cookies and several other products that bear the Toll House designation.  These products, including morsels, chocolate baking bars, and cocoa are all considered safe at this time.  Dreyer’s and Edy’s ice cream companies both distribute ice cream products that contain Nestle’s Toll House cookie dough; these products, too, are said to present no risk of E. coli contamination.