Blue Bell Recalls Two Ice Cream Products due to Potential Listeria Contamination

Blue Bell Ice Cream is recalling two flavors of product for potential Listeria contamination.  There have been no illnesses reported.  According to the company's press release, product was shipped to 10 states, primarily in the Southeast US.

Last year, Blue Bell shut down its 3 plants after their ice cream product was linked to a Listeria outbreak where 10 people were infected.  The company reopened the plants with increased controls and under increased government scrutiny.  In January of 2016, the company issued a release that their controls were effective, although they were still finding Listeria in the environment.

In this particular case, it looks as though the supplier of the cookie dough, Aspen Hills, may be at fault.  Blue Bell discovered the issue through testing of incoming products and notified Aspen Hills who then issued a recall.  This recall notice is posted on the Blue Bell website.  Unfortunately, product was released before these test results came to light.  Although Blue Bell states they do test and hold (product is not released before results come back), that test and hold looks to have been focused on finished product testing (and perhaps not ingredient testing?).

Of course this cookie dough is not technically raw.  It is product that is made to resemble raw cookie dough, but is a ready-to-eat product.  Being that it is ready-to-eat, it should be free of pathogens such as Listeria.

KHOU News Release
http://www.khou.com/news/health/blue-bell-issues-recall-for-ice-cream-with-cookie-dough/323180943
Blue Bell recalls ice cream over listeria concerns
KHOU.com Staff , KHOU 11:59 PM. EST September 21, 2016

BRENHAM, Texas - Blue Bell Ice Cream has issued a voluntary recall for two flavors due to possible Listeria contamination.
The company sent out a press release via their Twitter account on Wednesday.
The recall covers the Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough flavor in half-gallon sizes with code date 082618226 and pints with code dates 081518242 and 082418242. Also the Cookie Two-Step flavor in the half-gallon size with code dates 080418222 and 081818224. The code dates can be found on the bottom of the cartons.
The cookie dough ingredient that could be contaminated came from a third-party distributor, according to Blue Bell.
The products believed to be affected were distributed to the following 10 states: Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Virginia.
The company said it has received no reports of illnesses.
Consumers should not eat the recalled products and are encouraged to return them to the place of purchase for a full refund.
Blue Bell says it is initiating the recall out of an abundance of caution. The recall is being conducted in cooperation of the FDA.
We're told more than 1,000 cases of the contaminated cookie dough had been shipped to the creamery in Brenham last month and ice cream had been made, but it was not shipped out.
Blue Bell says the ice cream will be disposed of properly and according to FDA guidelines.


Blue Bell Website
http://cdn.bluebell.com/the_little_creamery/press_releases/bb-am-kol
BLUE BELL ICE CREAM RECALLS SELECT PRODUCTS CONTAINING CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIE DOUGH PIECES PURCHASED FROM OUTSIDE SUPPLIER ASPEN HILLS DUE TO POSSIBLE HEALTH RISK
For Immediate Release

Contact: media@bluebell.com or 979-830-9830

BRENHAM, Texas, September 21, 2016 – Blue Bell Ice Cream is voluntarily recalling select products produced in its Sylacauga, Alabama, plant because they were made with a chocolate chip cookie dough ingredient supplied by a third party supplier Aspen Hills, Inc., due to the potential for it to contain Listeria monocytogenes.

Listeria monocytogenes which can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections in young children, frail or elderly people, and others with weakened immune systems. Although healthy individuals may suffer only short-term symptoms such as high fever, severe headache, stiffness, nausea, abdominal pain and diarrhea, Listeria infection can cause miscarriages and stillbirths among pregnant women.

This recall covers the following products.

Blue Bell Ice Cream Half Gallons:	Code Dates
Blue Bell Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough	082618226
Blue Bell Cookie Two Step	080418222, 081818224

Blue Bell Ice Cream Pints:	Code Dates
Blue Bell Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough	081518242, 082418242

The products can be identified by the code date found on the bottom of the carton. The products produced with the chocolate chip cookie dough pieces were distributed in the following ten states Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Virginia.

No illnesses have been reported to date. Blue Bell identified a potential problem through intensified internal testing and notified Aspen Hills. Aspen Hills then issued a voluntary recall of the products supplied to Blue Bell. Although our products in the marketplace have passed our test and hold program, which requires that finished product samples test negative for Listeria monocytogenes, Blue Bell is initiating this recall out of an abundance of caution. This recall is being conducted in cooperation with the FDA.

Consumers should not eat the recalled products and are encouraged to return them to the place of purchase for a full refund.

We continue to work closely with our regulatory agencies, and we remain committed to ensuring we are producing safe products for our consumers to enjoy. For more information, consumers with questions may call 979-836-7977, Monday – Friday 8 a.m. – 5 p.m. CST.