Baking & Dessert Food Safety

1. Raw flour, cookie dough and batter

Flour is a raw food. The FDA explains that the grains used for flour grow in fields and can be exposed to harmful bacteria such as Salmonella and pathogenic E. coli, and that processing grain into flour does not kill them. Many doughs and batters also contain raw eggs.

• Don't eat or taste raw flour, dough or batter, including cake mix, cookie dough and brownie batter. Cooking is the only way to be sure they are safe.
• Keep flour away from ready-to-eat foods. Flour is a powder and spreads easily.
• Wash your hands, bowls, utensils and counters with soap and warm water after handling flour or raw dough.
• Follow the package directions for baking temperature and time.
• Store-bought "edible" cookie dough is made with ingredients treated for eating raw; follow its label. Heating flour at home has not been shown to make it reliably safe, so we don't recommend it as a fix.

Source: FDA, Handling Flour Safely. Since 2009, outbreaks linked to raw flour and flour products such as cake mixes and cookie dough caused 168 known illnesses and 20 hospitalizations (FDA).

Bake it instead: cookie recipes · brownie recipes · Flour buying guide · Raw flour and raw dough (Encyclopedia)

2. Raw and lightly cooked eggs

The FDA notes that fresh eggs, even with clean, uncracked shells, may contain Salmonella.

• Buy eggs only from a refrigerated case, with clean, uncracked shells. Keep them in the fridge at 40°F (4°C) or below, in the original carton.
• Cook eggs until the yolk and white are firm. Dishes containing eggs, such as quiche or casseroles, should reach 160°F (71°C).
• For recipes where eggs stay raw or undercooked when served, such as mousse, tiramisu, uncooked meringue, eggnog or homemade ice cream, the FDA advises using pasteurized eggs or pasteurized egg products.
• Wash hands, utensils and surfaces after they touch raw eggs.

Source: FDA, What You Need to Know About Egg Safety (content current as of Mar 5, 2024).

Recipes: tiramisu · mousse · meringue · Eggs (Encyclopedia) · Pasteurization (Encyclopedia) · Eggs buying guide

3. Custards, pastry cream and cream-filled desserts

Custards, pastry cream, cream pies, éclairs and cheesecake are perishable. Bacteria multiply fastest between 40°F and 140°F (4°C–60°C), the "danger zone".

• Refrigerate within 2 hours of cooking or serving. If it's above 90°F (32°C), like a picnic or hot car, refrigerate within 1 hour.
• Cool large batches quickly in shallow containers before refrigerating.
• Keep your fridge at 40°F (4°C) or below; use an appliance thermometer to check.
• Custard and chiffon pies keep 3 to 4 days in the refrigerator after baking and do not freeze well.

Sources: FoodSafety.gov, 4 Steps to Food Safety; FoodSafety.gov, Cold Food Storage Chart.

Fresh fruit and herbs for toppings: rinse under running water before cutting, without soap (FoodSafety.gov). Buying guides: berries · melons · fresh herbs · leafy greens

Recipes: pastry cream · custard · cheesecake · éclairs · Pastry cream (Encyclopedia) · Temperature control (Encyclopedia)

4. Homemade ice cream

• If your ice cream base uses eggs, either cook the custard base to 160°F (71°C), measured with a food thermometer, or use pasteurized eggs or egg products.
• Use pasteurized milk and cream.
• Chill the cooked base in the refrigerator before churning, and keep it cold.

Sources: FDA, Egg Safety; FoodSafety.gov, Safe Minimum Internal Temperatures (egg dishes 160°F).

Recipes: ice cream · gelato · frozen custard

5. Fridge and freezer times for baking ingredients and desserts

Refrigerator at 40°F (4°C) or below; freezer at 0°F (−18°C) or below. FoodSafety.gov notes that freezer times are for quality only: food kept frozen at 0°F stays safe indefinitely.

Source: FoodSafety.gov, Cold Food Storage Chart. For other foods see USDA's FoodKeeper.

6. Safe minimum cooking temperatures

Use a food thermometer in the thickest part of the food.

Source: FoodSafety.gov, Safe Minimum Internal Temperatures. Keep hot food at 140°F (60°C) or above.