‘Smoking Gun’ Found in Cookie Dough E. Coli Scare

ABC's Brian Hartman from Washington: FDA investigators today found E. coli at the plant in Danville, VA where Nestle makes Toll House cookie dough. The bacteria, according to an FDA official, was found at the plant in an unopened package of raw chocolate chip cookie dough. It had been manufactured on February 10, 2009 but had not yet been shipped. Investigators still do not know how the E. coli got into the dough. But finding this “smoking gun” package confirms they pushed for a recall of the correct product. When Nestle issued a nationwide recall for its Toll House cookie dough products on June 19, they were acting on the strong suspicions of epidemiologists. But the package discovered today is the first hard evidence that links cookie dough to E. coli. Nestle issued a press release today confirming FDA had informed the company “that it has found and confirmed evidence of E. coli 0157:H7 in a retained production sample of 16.5 oz. Nestlé Toll House refrigerated chocolate chip cookie dough bar.  The product has a day code of 9041 and a “Best before 10 JUN 2009″ notation.” An FDA official cautioned that further testing was required to conclusively prove whether the E. coli found today was, in fact, genetically related to the bacteria that has been making people sick. The CDC has received reports of at least 69 people from 29 states sickened by E. coli linked to this outbreak.