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3 Kinds of E. Coli Linked to Nestle's Cookie Dough
July 09, 2009 3:05 PM
ABC's Brian Hartman reports from Washington:
ABC News has learned investigators have linked at least three different kinds of E. coli to Nestle’s cookie dough but they remain stumped as to just how the bacteria got in the product.
The FDA has completed DNA testing of E. coli recently found in an unopened package of cookie dough at Nestle’s plant in Danville, Va.
Those tests, according to sources familiar with the investigation and confirmed by the FDA, determined the genetic fingerprint of the E. coli found at the plant is different than E. coli that has been linked to a 30-state outbreak that has sickened at least six dozen people.
Sources also say an altogether different strain of E. coli was found in dough recovered from the home of a victim.
That means, at least three different types of E. coli have been associated with cookie dough made by Nestle.
While the FDA has wrapped up its investigation of the Danville, Va., plant investigators are still searching for a plausible scenario for how any E. coli got into the dough.
“The investigation is winding up. It is not exactly over yet,” said Dr. David Acheson, the assistant commissioner for food safety. “But we have not figured out the likely ingredient.”
According to the FDA inspectors who combed through Nestle’s plant found only “fairly minor” discrepancies and nothing that explains the E. coli mystery.
In fact, Acheson said, investigators may have exhausted all of their leads.
“We’ve followed everything that we think is most likely and haven’t come up with anything,” Acheson said.
“It is unlikely that we will ever make a final determination of how this contamination occurred.”
But the FDA does not believe this was a case of product tampering.
“Theres no indication that this was deliberate,” Acheson said.
Nestle USA spokeswoman Laurie MacDonald tells ABC News that the Danville plant began a “controlled production startup” late Tuesday afternoon.
They are returning to production slowly, in phases, after turning the plant upside down in the wake of the E. coli outbreak. MacDonald said the company dismantled its entire production line, inspected and cleaned all the parts and then put it back together. She says Nestle also has conducted extensive testing of ingredients. The company has discarded all ingredients that had been stockpiled and replaced them with all new flour, eggs, margarine and other items.
Before any ingredient goes into cookie dough in the future, MacDonald says, it will undergo “very extensive pretesting.”
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July 9, 2009 | Permalink | Share | User Comments (2)
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If it wasn't product tampering, you're basically left with these possibilities:
One or more employees was sloppy in the bathroom and then didn't properly wash their hands.
Droppings from insects, rodents or birds got into the production line
One or more of the ingredients from Nestle's suppliers was contaminated.
How 'bout the FDA go investigate some of those vendors?
Posted by: Bob | Jul 10, 2009 7:53:03 AM
YO ESTOY DE ACUERDO CON BOB ESA ES UNO DE LOS PROBLEMAS MAS GRANDES DE NESTLE TIENE PERSONAS QUE NO SE LIMPIAN LAS MANOS ANTES DE ENTRAR AL AREA DE PRODUCSION Y OTRO PROBLEMA ES QUE LA COMPANIA ES CORRUPTA SOLO LIMPIAN CUANDO TIENEN AUDITORIAS DE LA FDA
Posted by: BENITO VARGAS | Jul 28, 2009 7:48:46 PM
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