Some Blue Bell Ice Cream Flavors Recalled for Listeria Again

Blue Bell Ice Cream announced Wednesday it 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 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.

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. 

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Blue Bell stated that 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. Blue Bell stated that their products in the marketplace have passed the company’s test and hold program, which requires that finished product samples test negative for Listeria monocytogenes. Blue Bell stated it is initiating this recall out of an abundance of caution. This recall is being conducted in cooperation with the FDA, they stated.

Blue Bell warns that consumers should not eat the recalled products and are encouraged to return them to the place of purchase for a full refund. 

Blue Bell stated they continue to work closely with our regulatory agencies, and remain committed to ensuring they are producing safe products for our consumers to enjoy.  

For more information, consumers with questions may call Blue Bell at 979-836-7977, Monday – Friday 8 a.m. – 5 p.m. CST.