Nestle Recalls Toll House Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough For Wood Pieces

According to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), Nestlé USA has issued a recall on limited batches of Toll House chocolate chip cookie dough due to the "potential presence of wood fragments." The recall centers around two specific batches of "break and bake" bars. Consumers are encouraged to read their packages and note the batch code typed along the side. Bars with batch codes reading 311457531K or 311557534K are not to be prepared or consumed. Customers are advised to bring the bars immediately back to wherever they were bought, where they can expect a replacement batch with a different bar code, or a full refund. Other Nestlé products, such as other batches of "break and bake" bars, tubs of cookie dough, and edible cookie dough are not included in this recall. 

Per the announcement, the company has stated: "While no illnesses or injuries have been reported, we are taking this action out of an abundance of caution after a small number of consumers contacted Nestlé USA about this issue." 

Though this particular recall is completely voluntary on Nestlés end, this is not the first time the FDA has handled situations of hard or sharp objects found in food. The FDA defines the potential hazard of consuming these as "traumatic injury including laceration and perforation of tissues of the mouth, tongue, throat, stomach, and intestine, as well as damage to the teeth and gums." Over a 25-year period, 190 cases of hard or sharp objects found in food were investigated by the FDA's Health Hazard Evaluation Board. In order to be classified as a potential hazard, the object must be between 7 to 25 millimeters in length. However, special risk groups, including infants, senior citizens, and surgery patients, are advised against ingesting even the smallest amount of foreign contaminants. 

For Nestlés part, it is working in complete cooperation with the FDA and, as stated in the press release by the administration, feels confident that this is a single isolated incident. To its customers, Nestlé issued the following statement: "The quality, safety and integrity of our products remain our number one priority. We sincerely apologize for any inconvenience this action represents to both our consumers and retail customers."