Blue Bell has recently issued a recall on all of their ice cream, frozen yogurt, and sherbet in 23 states—including Virginia and North Carolina. The recall comes after reports of Listeria-contaminated chocolate chip cookie dough ice cream in several states, in addition to 3 deaths in Kansas linked to Blue Bell products.
Listeria is a type of bacteria that can cause headaches, stomach pain, diarrhea, and nausea. However, the bacteria can sometimes be fatal to children, the elderly, or people with weak immune systems.The tricky thing about Listeria is that it can hang around for years on surfaces like pipes and counters, making it difficult to pinpoint when and how an outbreak occurred. Although the bug has only been found in certain containers of ice cream (and the chance of you or your family being infected is very low), the company has completely recalled all of its products to ensure customer safety.
If you have any Blue Bell products in your freezer, don't take any chances. You can return them to your grocery store for a full refund whether they've been opened or not. If you've eaten the company's ice cream or other frozen products recently and think you may have a Listeria infection, go to the hospital right away. Listeria is rare, but potentially life-threatening.
And if you have any questions for Blue Bell, you can contact the company directly at (855) 880-8163, Monday through Friday from 8 am. to 8 pm., or Saturday from 10 am. to 2 pm.
