Can You Eat Raw Pizza Dough?

For some reason, when it comes to eating uncooked dough, people are virtually unstoppable. What it is, we have no idea! Maybe it’s boredom or the impatience of waiting for the incredibly wonderful final baked meal. In any case, we have all heard the cautions. “Avoid eating raw dough; you can become ill. You’re going to the hospital! However, no one has ever explained why, and to be perfectly honest, we have consumed raw dough in the past without experiencing any negative effects. Well, at least not yet.

Therefore, today’s topic is “can you eat raw pizza dough”? Basically, you can, but you shouldn’t. Simply put, the risks involved are too great! E. coli and Salmonella, as well as other bacteria, are frequently discovered on raw pizza dough and on the uncooked toppings.

In this post, we’ll go through the risks of eating raw or undercooked pizza dough, possible signs of food poisoning, and how to entirely avoid it. Even a helpful tip on how to completely avoid dough that is undercooked is offered!

Raw Vs Undercooked Pizza Dough

To begin, it is critical to distinguish between undercooked and raw uncooked pizza dough. Both appear to be quite similar, but spoiler alert: neither should be eaten! Undercooked pizza dough refers to parts of an assembled and “baked” pizza that are not fully cooked. The outside is typically dry and appears to be baked, but when the dough is torn apart, the inside remains slightly doughy.

Raw pizza dough, on the other hand, hasn’t even started to cook. It frequently happens in the center of the pizza or in a thicker, uncooked section. One is unquestionably hazardous to eat than the other. Nonetheless, both can have major health consequences.

Should You Eat Raw Pizza Dough?

The bottom line is that, as we’ve already made very clear, pizza that is raw or underbaked cannot and should not be consumed. Many individuals will reassure you that everything is alright. However, many substances may contain extremely harmful germs. It’s not a given that eating raw pizza dough will make you sick. However, the risk is too great.

The same applies when people discuss poultry or pork that is just a little bit undercooked. You’re not guaranteed to catch salmonella. But it’s recognized that these two substances have a better possibility of giving it to you! So, avoid eating it and refrain from even tasting the raw pizza dough. Food poisoning is a condition that can put you in the hospital.

Risks Involved When Eating Raw Or Undercooked Pizza Dough

There are several elements that go into producing pizza dough that can pose a significant risk if the dough is not baked properly. Let’s take a closer look at a couple of them!

Flour

Grossly underrated in terms of potential health hazards is flour. Keep in mind that flour is not heated in any way. Flour that you purchase and use is considered to be uncooked. It could therefore include a large number of microorganisms. E. coli is the most prevalent one that you’ll see on this component (Escherichia coli).

And before you ask, no, wheat that has been bleached and ground does not eliminate the bacteria. The flour must be heat-treated (also known as baked or cooked) in order to get rid of them in an efficient manner.

Eggs

Eggs are well-known for their ability to cause food illness. If your undercooked pizza dough contains any, which most recipes do, you should reconsider eating it. Salmonella can be found in raw and undercooked eggs. As a result, eggs must be baked or boiled at a temperature of 160oF (71oC). A probe thermometer can be used to check the internal temperature of the dough.

Pizza dough, in particular, needs to be cooked at temperatures ranging from 200 to 210 degrees Fahrenheit (93 to 99 degrees Celsius). To get around this, use heat-treated or pasteurized eggs.

Toppings

Of course, the toppings are separate from the pizza dough. However, it’s likely that your toppings will be underdone if the dough is. This can be extremely dangerous on its own, depending on the toppings you’ve added and how you’ve added them. Pizza with seafood is particularly notorious for containing pathogens like Listeria, Shigella, Vibrio, and Salmonella.

Symptoms Of Food Poisoning

Naturally, there are different levels of food poisoning. If you’re lucky, you’ll just have moderate symptoms, but even these aren’t fun! Typical E. coli symptoms include stomach pain and vomiting. Symptoms often develop 3-4 days after consuming the bacteria and begin with cramps and diarrhea. E. coli has also been linked to HUS (hemolytic uremic syndrome), which can result in a stroke and death!

Then there’s the nasty Salmonella bacteria, which we’ve all probably encountered at some point. The symptoms might appear within a few hours and linger for up to a week! Salmonella symptoms include diarrhea, a high temperature, and stomach cramps.

How To Fix Undercooked Pizza Dough

Even if you had the pizza delivered, it is preferable to re-bake the dough if you see that it is still raw or undercooked. Immediately send the uncooked pizza back if you are at a restaurant. Here’s what to do if you need to mend a pizza that was delivered or are creating pizza at home:

Heat the oven to 360°F (180°C) to finish cooking the pizza inside.
Pizza should be heated before being placed on a baking sheet, pizza pan, or pizza stone.
Pizza should be baked until it achieves an internal temperature of 200–210°F (93–99°C) at its thickest point.
You can always break open a thick piece if you don’t have a probe thermometer. Cooked pizza dough shouldn’t be doughy; it should be light, dry, and soft.

How To Avoid Undercooked Pizza Dough

Here are some tips for fixing undercooked dough if you’re eating out or making pizza at home!

For Store-Bought Pizza

If you purchased pre-cooked pizza from a store or restaurant, there isn’t much you can do to avoid undercooking the dough. In that case, simply return it so that they can provide you with a new, fully cooked one. If this is a recurring issue, simply do not buy from them again. It is also beneficial to post a public review so that others are aware of this health danger.

For Homemade Pizza

Always adhere to the baking times and temperatures specified in the recipe when preparing pizza at home. A pizza should bake for 10 to 20 minutes, depending on the temperature, if there aren’t any.

Naturally, the cooking time will be shortened the higher the oven’s temperature. Using equipment like a pizza stone or pan helps hasten the process even more.

Here are some other tips you can follow to make sure your pizza is baked to perfection:

pizza with a thin crust. It will cook much more rapidly, more evenly, and with a higher likelihood that it will be finished cooking. Who doesn’t enjoy crunchy edges?
Don’t pile too many toppings on the pizza dough. A dough that has too many toppings may bake unevenly or not at all. The dough could be coming out raw because the toppings are blocking the top of the dough from heating up.
Only include precooked toppings if you absolutely must. It is recommended to cook toppings separately and add them to the pizza toward the end if they take a long time to cook (more than 10 minutes).
For instance, entire prawn pieces will take a very long time to cook through. That implies that the dough will be prepared ahead of the prawns, which obviously entails numerous dangers.
Make sure there are no hot spots in your oven at all times. This may result in one portion being overcooked while the other is still raw. This problem can be resolved with the aid of a pizza stone or pan.
Use the proper baking temperatures and timeframes. When baking pizza, your oven should be preheated and hot.
Your oven should be preheated to at least 360°F (180°C) for this dish; however, most people bake their pizzas at 450–500°F (230–260°C).