Ice Cream Product Recalled After Listeria Illness Where Strain Matches A 2017 Environmental Sample

A Florida Ice cream company is recalling product after a case of Listeria occurred in May, where that Listeria strain had been found in the facility during a environmental sampling in 2017.  Working Cow Homemade Ice Cream, Inc. of St. Petersburg, FL is recalling No Sugar Added Vanilla and Chocolate ice cream manufactured in three-gallon tubs during the month of May 2018.

"This recall is being conducted in cooperation with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (“FDA”) following notification of a recent consumer case in Florida which has been linked to a strain of Listeria monocytogenes found to be present at the Working Cow manufacturing facility during environmental sampling in 2017. Although subsequent environmental sampling has yet to yield positive test results, investigations are ongoing to ensure root cause has been properly addressed. No other illnesses have been reported."

This is interesting in that the recall is being issued on the premise that the Listeria found in 2017 in the plant was still there in 2018 even though internal testing did not find it.  One would guess that the epidemiological investigation found that the patient had eaten the ice cream in question.

https://www.fda.gov/Safety/Recalls/ucm622688.htm
Working Cow Homemade, Inc. Recalls Product Because of Possible Health Risk
For Immediate Release
October 4, 2018


Contact
Consumers  Working Cow  877-320-2269

Announcement
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Working Cow Homemade Ice Cream, Inc. of St. Petersburg, FL is conducting a voluntary recall of No Sugar Added Vanilla and No Sugar Added Chocolate ice cream manufactured in three-gallon tubs during the month of May 2018. The recall is being conducted due to a potential contamination with Listeria monocytogenes, an organism 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 monocytogenes infection can cause miscarriages and stillbirths among pregnant women.

Working Cow customers include ice cream parlors, independent living facilities and restaurants throughout the state of Florida. The no sugar added ice cream is packaged in plastic yellow three-gallon tubs marked with a label including product name and “born-on” date. The born-on date refers to the manufacturing date. Working Cow is working with 152 retail customers to recall the potentially affected products.

This recall is being conducted in cooperation with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (“FDA”) following notification of a recent consumer case in Florida which has been linked to a strain of Listeria monocytogenes found to be present at the Working Cow manufacturing facility during environmental sampling in 2017. Although subsequent environmental sampling has yet to yield positive test results, investigations are ongoing to ensure root cause has been properly addressed. No other illnesses have been reported.

Working Cow Homemade, Inc. takes the safety and integrity of our products very seriously. Our families also consume these products and we are working tirelessly to identify the cause of the problem and permanently fix it, so that any product made at Working Cow will continue to have the complete confidence of our customers and consumers.

Any customers with this specific product on hand are asked to contact Working Cow for proper return and credit. Additional questions may be directed to the Working Cow Headquarters at 877-320-2269, Mon-Fri between 8:30 AM and 4:00 PM EDT.