Is Licking the Cake Batter Worth Getting Sick? The CDC Says No!

There's currently an E. coli breakout in the U.S. and it's all being linked back to cake batter. When I saw this on the news I was like "oh crap" because I just made a cake a few days ago, and I couldn't help myself. I licked all the extra batter that was left over on the whisk. I remember thinking to myself "omgosh I hope I don't get sick, but this is so good." The next time I make cake I probably am going to need to keep this in mind.

The CDC and FDA are investigating an E. coli outbreak in 12 states, including Michigan. The outbreak isn't tied to one specific brand either.

Sick people in this outbreak reported tasting or eating raw cake batter made from a variety of cake mixes.

16 people have reported getting sick and seven ended up in the hospital. The CDC says that all the individuals were females between the ages of 2 and 73, but the majority involve children which makes E. coli even more dangerous. In fact, one patient developed a type of kidney disease.

75% of people interviewed admitted to eating or tasting raw cake batter prior to getting sick.

The CDC advises people bake or cook food completely before eating, follow proper cooking times and temps, keeping raw foods away from ready-to-eat foods, and probably the hardest one of all: don't eat or taste raw cake batter.

Health officials believe the number of E. coli cases is actually higher and involves more states.

E. coli is a bacteria that is needed for a healthy gut however the one that makes people sick can be transmitted through animals, humans, or contaminated food or water. Symptoms include stomach aches, diarrhea, and vomiting. According to the CDC, most symptoms develop 3-4 days after getting infected.