Some folks like the crunch of raw pasta. They eat it as a snack or just for something to crunch on. Since fresh pasta contains not only raw flour but also raw eggs, it is definitely unsafe to eat. But, not many people would enjoy the taste of fresh raw pasta and children are more likely to enjoy it for its crunch. Eating dried pasta seems inherently safe. After all, it’s just flour and water. So, is it safe to eat raw dried pasta? If not, how much can you eat without getting sick?
For Adults, Marginally Unsafe To Eat Raw Dried Pasta
Eating uncooked dried pasta, right out of the box, is not alarmingly dangerous. You are unlikely to notice any ill effects by consuming a small amount of raw pasta now and again. Most of the problems have to do with digestibility. However, there are some dangers to consuming uncooked dried pasta.
First, we cannot digest the starches in raw wheat flour very well if at all. We need to cook them to break them down and gelatanize them, making them digestible. So, eating a large amount of raw dried pasta could cause gastrointestinal discomfort including bloating, cramps, and gas. Your body will really struggle to break down the starches in the pasta and you will not be able to absorb much nutrient value from it.
You may also hear that the uncooked pasta will absorb water in your stomach and expand, thus stretching your stomach but there is not much to worry about there other than the associated discomfort discussed above.
For children, whose digestive systems are immature, eating large amounts of raw dried pasta will pose a bigger problem and may lead to more discomfort. As well, long strands of pasta can be a choking hazard for young children.
Risk Of Bacterial Contamination in Dried Pasta
Raw flour, even though processed, is not sterile in any way. Any raw wheat flour, including the Durum wheat used in pasta, can harbor bacteria. Nothing in the steps used to make pasta will kill the bacteria or alter it.
Bacteria like Staphylococcus aureus, Bacillus cereus, and Cronobacter spp. have been found in samples of raw dried, and fresh pasta.
Cronobacter spp. is especially likely to be present in raw pasta. This type of bacteria, which includes several species, many of which have been found in pasta, can cause potentially fatal infections in infants, and the elderly. For this reason alone, it would be unwise to give raw pasta to a child, although the risk for healthy adults is small.
B. cereus could also be a problem as this type of bacteria forms toxins that can make you quite sick. However, the toxins are more likely to occur after pasta is cooked and then improperly stored. 1
Regardless, the presence of pathogenic bacteria in raw pasta products makes it, again, marginally unsafe for healthy adults and very unsafe for children, the elderly, or the immunocompromised.
- Akineden, Ö., Murata, K.J., Gross, M. and Usleber, E. (2015), Microbiological Quality of Raw Dried Pasta from the German Market, with Special Emphasis on Cronobacter Species. Journal of Food Science, 80: M2860-M2867. https://doi.org/10.1111/1750-3841.13117