How eating raw cookie dough killed mom

WASHINGTON, Nov. 13 (UPI) -- A simple food-snatch that takes place in kitchens thousands of times every day — sneaking a bit of cookie dough — turned deadly for one American mom who contracted E. coli in the sweet batch she sampled.

Las Vegas mother Linda Rivera died last summer, four years after she ate prepackaged cookie dough that was later found to be contaminated with E. coli. More organs failed over the years after her kidneys stopped functioning, her son testified yesterday at a Food and Drug Administration hearing on food safety.

"There were moments of hope — and despair," said son Richard Simpson, 22. "She fought very hard."

Simpson said he was speaking up for stricter food protections so other mothers and sons don't experience what his family did. The hearing was held to consider changes to the FDA's Food Safety Modernization Act, which would include updates to help prevent the spread of bacteria like E. coli.

Nestle recalled its pre-made Toll House cookie dough in 2009 after dozens of E. coli illnesses were reported, and the company reached an undisclosed settlement with Rivera's family. The company's "grave concern' about its product's role in Rivera's death led to "more stringent testing and inspection of raw materials and finished product," said a statement from Nestle.