A Maryland-based food manufacturer has issued a recall for more than 60 ice cream products sold across the United States due to potential contamination with listeria, a dangerous bacteria that can cause serious illness, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced.
Totally Cool Inc., located in Owings Mills, Md., halted production and distribution of the affected products after FDA sampling identified the presence of listeria. The recall spans various popular brands including Hershey’s, Friendly’s, Chipwich, and Jeni’s, encompassing pints of ice cream, sorbet, ice cream cakes, sandwiches, cones, and more.
As of now, there have been no reported illnesses linked to the recalled products. The FDA emphasized that no other Totally Cool products are affected by this recall, and the company is actively investigating the cause while implementing preventive measures.
Consumers who have purchased any of the recalled ice cream items are urged to return them to the place of purchase for a full refund. Identifying affected products can be done using the date and plant codes printed on the product labels.
In response to the recall, Chipwich’s parent company, Crave Better Foods LLC, acknowledged maintaining a separate production line at the same facility as Totally Cool. Chipwich characterized the recall as precautionary and expressed concern for its customers’ safety and satisfaction.
Hershey’s Ice Cream has ceased sales of potentially impacted products and advised consumers and retailers to discard any remaining inventory. The FDA warns that listeria contamination poses a significant health risk, particularly to vulnerable populations such as young children, elderly individuals, pregnant women, and those with compromised immune systems.
Symptoms of listeriosis can include high fever, severe headache, stiffness, nausea, abdominal pain, and diarrhea. The CDC estimates approximately 1,600 cases of listeriosis annually in the United States, resulting in about 260 deaths, underscoring the seriousness of the bacteria’s potential consequences.
