CDC warns against eating raw cookie dough

SAN FRANCISCO (CNN) – The CDC wants you to say “no” to raw cookie dough.

This holiday season, you might find yourself whipping up a batch of delicious cookies in the kitchen.

But you may want to think twice before reaching for a taste of that raw dough.

The CDC is using this holiday season to remind all the bakers out there that eating or tasting unbaked products can make you sick.

Flour and raw eggs especially can contain bacteria and salmonella respectively.

In 2016, an outbreak of E. coli infections linked to raw flour made 63 people sick.

“People may not be aware that flour is not treated to destroy bacteria and there have been outbreaks of a certain type of E. coli linked to the ingestion of raw dough,” said Ellerin, director of infectious diseases at South Shore Hospital in Weymouth, Massachusetts.

So as much as you may want to sneak a taste, it’s better for your health to wait until the treats are fully cooked.

The CDC has a full list of safe food handling practices on its website.