Within days of heralding their products’ return to grocery stores in three states, officials with Blue Bell Creameries LP quietly recalled two flavors of cookie dough ice cream from 10 states because of Listeria concerns.
Discovered to have had Listeria monocytogenes problems at its production facilities in recent years, Blue Bell remains under federal investigation related to a deadly multi-state outbreak that temporarily halted the company’s operations in 2015.
This time, though, the Listeria contamination is believed to be the fault of a Blue Bell supplier — Aspen Hills Inc. — according to a notice posted Wednesday. No illnesses had been reported in connection with the recalled ice cream as of Wednesday, Blue Bell officials reported.
“Blue Bell identified a potential problem through intensified internal testing and notified Aspen Hills. Aspen Hills then issued a voluntary recall of the products supplied to Blue Bell,” according to the notice on the Brenham, TX-based ice cream company’s website.
“Although our products in the marketplace have passed our test and hold program, which requires that finished product samples test negative for Listeria monocytogenes, Blue Bell is initiating this recall out of an abundance of caution.”
Blue Bell reports distributing the recalled “Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough” and “Cookie Two Step” flavored ice cream in 10 states: Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee and Virginia. Blue Bell had just re-entered grocery stores in Georgia and the Carolinas in the past 10 days.
