Blue Bell Recalling All Products Made With Cookie Dough Ingredient
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BRENHAM, Texas (CBSDFW.COM) – Blue Bell Ice Cream said late Monday it is voluntarily recalling all products that were made with a cookie dough ingredient supplied by a third party supplier Aspen Hills, Inc., due to the potential for them 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.
No illnesses have been reported to date, according to a Blue Bell news release.
Blue Bell said it initiated this expanded recall after Aspen Hills provided additional information on affected cookie dough lots.
"Although our products in the marketplace have passed our test and hold program, which requires that finished product samples from a batch test negative for Listeria monocytogenes before the batch can be released, Blue Bell is initiating this recall out of an abundance of caution. This recall is being conducted in cooperation with the FDA," the news release stated.
This recall includes the following products in half gallons and pints, Blue Bell Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough and Blue Bell Cookie Two Step sold to retail outlets, and three gallon flavors sold to food service accounts including Blue Bell Blue Monster, Blue Bell Chocolate Chip Cookie, and Blue Bell Krazy Kookie Dough. These products were produced from February 2, 2016 through September 7, 2016.
The consumer and food service products produced with the cookie dough pieces were distributed in the following states Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, New Mexico, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas and Virginia.
Consumers should not eat the recalled products and are encouraged to return them to the place of purchase for a full refund, Blue Bell officials said.
"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," the news release stated.
For more information, consumers with questions may call 979-836-7977, Monday – Friday 8 a.m. – 5 p.m. CST.
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