If you are a big fan of raw cookie dough or you like to make homemade play dough with your kids, you may want to reconsider.

An article that was written on Foxnews.com/health has us wondering: how has flour become tainted with bacteria that can cause major harm.

E-Coli has been found in flour produced by General Mills and has made 46 people sick in 21 different states. The company has recalled over 45 million pounds of the white cooking material. Now, the federal government is wondering how this is all happened.

According to the article:

"FDA testing determined that raw dough eaten or handled by people who became ill was made using flour was produced between November 2015 and February 2016 at the General Mills facility in Kansas City, Missouri.

Officials found two different strains of E. coli bacteria that produce a toxin that can make people sick. In the past several years, the CDC has investigated several multi-state outbreaks of these E. coli strains linked to sources such as sprouts, but never raw flour."

Here are the products that are being recalled:

"Batches of unbleached, all-purpose, and self-rising flour varieties from General Mills, Gold Medal, Wondra and Signature Kitchens flour brands are included. A few cake mixes, a biscuit mix and a pancake mix containing General Mills flour also were recalled."

The most important thing that you need to do is to throw away any flour, whether it is in the original packaging or in a container. Also, make sure to wash your hands after using the bathroom and right before you handle any sort of food.

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