Ice Cream Recalls: Listeria to Blame for 13 Brands Being Pulled

Ice cream products from brands including Friendly's, Hershey's Ice Cream, Jeni's, the Frozen Farmer, and more are affected by the recall.

By Allison Schonter

As temperatures begin to rise and people start to look for ways to cool down this summer, health officials are warning consumers against a popular summer treat: ice cream. Following recalls of Creamy Creations ice cream from H-E-B, Magnum Almond Ice Cream Sticks, and more in recent months, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on Monday, June 24 announced that Totally Cool, Inc. issued a recall of more than 60 ice cream products across 13 brands due to possible listeria contamination.

The Owings Mills, Maryland-based company ceased the production and distribution of the recalled products and a recall was issued after FDA sampling discovered the presence of Listeria monocytogenes, the bacterium that can cause listeria infection, per the CDC. Listeriosisis a serious infection that can cause fever, muscle aches, headache, stiff neck, confusion, loss of balance and convulsions sometimes preceded by diarrhea or other gastrointestinal symptoms. Young children, frail or elderly people, pregnant women, and others with weakened immune systems are at the highest risk. In some cases, it can be fatal.

A total of 68 ice cream products are affected by the recall from more than a dozen brands, including Hershey's, Friendly's, Chipwich and Jeni's. The recall impacts products ranging from ice cream and sorbet to ice cream cakes, sandwiches, cones, and more. Some of the recalled products include Friendly's, Hershey's Ice Cream, Jeni's and the Frozen Farmer. The full list of recalled products can be found here. They were distributed nationwide, and available in retail locations and direct delivery.

In a statement, Taharka Brothers Ice Cream, one of the brands impacted by the recall, said that "while no listeria has been detected in our ice cream, or any of the ice cream produced at Totally Cool, the FDA is requiring a full recall out of an abundance of caution." The company said they "outsourced a single production run" of Honey Graham and Key Lime Pie to Totally Cool, Inc. "to meet the overwhelming demand for our ice cream." Amid the recall, Taharka Brothers Ice Cream "will begin making pints of Honey Graham and Key Lime Pie at our factory immediately."

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Chipwich called the recall "unfortunate," adding in a statement on its website that it was "taken out of an abundance of caution and care for the product and its loyal fans." The company said its parent company, Crave Better Foods LLC, "maintains and operates a small, separate production line" at the same Maryland facility as Totally Cool.

According to the FDA's recall notice, no illnesses have been reported to date, and the company "continues its investigation and is taking preventive actions." Consumers who purchased the recalled ice cream products should not consume them. The affected products can be returned to the place of purchase for a full refund.

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