HOUSTON – The FDA issued a consumer advisory about certain Blue Bell ice cream products made in Texas after several confirmed cases of Listeriosis in Kansas, including three reported fatalities, were linked to products made on a single production line at the Blue Bell Creameries plant in Brenham.
The FDA said three deaths have been reported in Kansas and two other patients are ill.
Blue Bell said it has removed the affected ice cream products from the market by picking it up from retailers and hospital settings. The company also said it shut down the production line where the products were made.
The advisory does not include Blue Bell cups, pints or half gallons. The affected products include the following items:
- Chocolate Chip Country Cookie SKU #196
- Great Divide Bar SKU #108
- Sour Pop Green Apple Bar SKU #221
- Cotton Candy Bar SKU #216
- Scoops SKU #117
- Vanilla Stick Slices SKU #964
- Almond Bar SKU #156
- 12 pack No Sugar Added Mooo Bar (regular Mooo Bars are not included) SKU #343
- 6 pack Cotton Candy Bars SKU #245
- 6 pack Sour Pop Green Apple Bars SKU #249
The FDA said consumers should not eat these products. If these ice cream products are in your freezer, they should be thrown away, even if some of them have been eaten without anyone becoming ill.
Recent laboratory tests of three ice cream products from the Brenham production line – Country Cookie, Great Divide and Scoops – indicated the presence of Listeria monocytogenes, a bacterium that can cause severe illness. The company is calling back additional ice cream items because they were made on the same production line.
"This is not acceptable for us," said Blue Bell Advertising and Public Relations Manager Joe Robertson. "Every item, every machine has been tested and re-tested. Our consumers should not worry about anything that is in the marketplace right now. We just hope this is something that will never happened again."
Symptoms of Listeriosis can include fever, muscle aches, diarrhea and vomiting. People with these symptoms should consult a physician. Symptoms typically occur three to 70 days after exposure. The disease affects primarily older people, pregnant women, newborns and people with weakened immune systems.
The Kansas Department of Health and Environment said hospital records show that four of the patients were served ice cream from Blue Bell Creameries' prepackaged, single-serving products and milkshakes made from these products.
No Texas cases have been reported in connection to any Blue Bell products.
In 2014, Texas had 19 confirmed cases of Listeriosis. Texas has had two reported cases so far this year.
Recommendations for preventing listeriosis are available at the CDC Listeria website: http://www.cdc.gov/listeria/prevention.html.
The FDA encourages consumers with questions about food safety to call 1-888-SAFEFOOD Monday through Friday between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. Eastern time, or to consult http://www.fda.gov.