Blue Bell announced a new recall from Listeria concerns. (Getty)
Is a great Blue Bell shortage about to happen again? Blue Bell is recalling some flavors of ice cream, but don’t panic yet. It’s not at the same level as the big recall in 2015. This one was made because of possible contamination from a third-party cookie dough distributor. Although the recall this time doesn’t cover nearly as many flavors and sizes, you should still check and make sure you don’t have the ice cream flavors that have been recalled. Listeria infection can be a serious, sometimes fatal, illness. If you have the recalled flavors, throw them out and don’t eat them.
Here’s what you need to know.
Blue Bell’s current recall is only for ice cream flavors made with chocolate chip cookie dough, due to a possibility that the ice cream could contain Listeria monocytogenes. No illnesses have been reported, but Blue Bell is issuing the recall, in cooperation with the FDA, out of an abundance of caution, the company said.
The recall covers the following products, NBC DFW reported:
- Blue Bell Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough – Code Dates: 082618226 (half gallon)
- Blue Bell Cookie Two Step – Code Dates: 080418222, 081818224 (half gallon)
- Blue Bell Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough – Code Dates: 081518242, 082418242 (pints)
The products were distributed in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee and Virginia. The recalled products were made in Blue Bell’s Alabama plant; the possible contamination is from a chocolate chip cookie dough ingredient that was produced by Aspen Hills Inc. That makes this recall very different from last year’s:
This isn’t anywhere near the level of the 2015 recall. In 2015, the recall started after five cases of listerosis in Kansas were believed to have originated from Blue Bell’s creamery in Oklahoma. Three of the five patients died. Despite temporarily shutting down that plant, several positive Listeria tests were noted in different plants and three more cases were reported in Texas. On April 20, 2015, the company recalled all of its products and shut down all production. But this time, the recall is different, Blue Bell shared.
So far, no cases of Listeria infection have been reported. And there’s a big difference between this recall and the one in 2015. The recall in 2015 was based on issues with the production facilities and the company not following standard practices to prevent contamination, the FDA found in 2015. This new voluntary recall was made because of concerns of Listeria contamination in the no egg chocolate chip cookie dough that is produced by a third-party supplier. You can read Blue Bell’s press release here. It appears that the company is taking even the possibility of contamination very seriously. If you have any of the recalled flavors, you should not eat them and you should throw them away. Keep an eye on Blue Bell’s Twitter feed or Facebook page for updates about the recall.
Reactions online weren’t too happy about the announcement. Blue Bell is a hugely popular ice cream brand that fans believe has the highest quality, best-tasting products:
If you suggest I give up blue bell you better have a damn near perfect replacement
Blue Bell is having another recall and East Texas locals are going to go into another panic.