FDA Issues Risk Warning for Ice Cream Recalled in 23 States
Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content.
A recall of multiple ice cream products in 23 states has been issued the second highest risk warning by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
Rich Ice Cream Co., based in Florida, issued a voluntary recall for numerous lots of its products on June 27 over potential contamination with Listeria Monocytogenes.
On July 17, the FDA issued a Class II risk classification for the recall.
Newsweek contacted Rich Ice Cream Co. for comment via its website outside regular working hours.
A stock image of ice cream.
A stock image of ice cream.
Jens Kalaene/picture-alliance/dpa/AP
Why It Matters
Listeria infection, or listeriosis, may lead to a range of symptoms in infected individuals. For those experiencing less severe infections, symptoms may include fever, muscle aches, nausea, vomiting and diarrhea, which often last between one and three days, the FDA said.
For more severe and potentially life-threatening infections, symptoms may include headaches, stiff neck, confusion, loss of balance and convulsions. Severe infections are particularly dangerous for young children, frail or elderly people, and those with weakened immune systems. It can also lead to miscarriages and stillbirths in pregnant women.
What To Know
According to the FDA, a Class II risk classification refers to a situation in which the "use of or exposure to a violative product may cause temporary or medically reversible adverse health consequences or where the probability of serious adverse health consequences is remote."
The products affected by the recall include these:
Chocolate Crunch Cake Bar
Strawberry Shortcake Bar
Rich Bar
Crumbled Cookie Bar
Orange Cream Bar
Fudge Frenzy Bar
Cotton Candy Twirl Bar
Savagely Sour Blue Raspberry Bar
Savagely Sour Cherry Bar
Cool Watermelon Bar
The lot numbers of the affected products are 24351 through 25156, and a total of 110,292 cases were affected.
The products were distributed to the following states: California, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Georgia, New York, New Jersey, Florida, Texas, Virginia, Arizona, Alabama, Illinois, Missouri, Massachusetts, Tennessee, Iowa, South Carolina, Oregon, Oklahoma, Nevada, Louisiana, Wisconsin and Nebraska.
They were also distributed to Nassau in the Bahamas.
What People Are Saying
Mary O'Riordan, a professor of microbiology and immunology at the University of Michigan Medical School, previously told Newsweek: "Listeria has an unusual capacity to grow at refrigerated temperatures. Although the bacterium can contaminate many types of food, cheeses or deli meats that are kept in cold storage for long periods in stores or at home are a place where listeria can keep growing.
"Early symptoms of listeria infection look similar to other common foodborne infections, including fever, diarrhea and vomiting, so it's often not diagnosed right away. Unfortunately, sometimes listeria can spread into the brain and cause more serious illness, like meningitis. In those cases, if people experience headache, stiff neck or confusion, they should seek urgent medical attention."
Haley F. Oliver, a professor of food science at Purdue University, previously told Newsweek: "Listeria monocytogenes is a common microorganism that can be found in the natural environment, for example in soil. There are many factors that determine if someone gets listeriosis—a listeria infection. In most instances, an immunocompromised person—so young, old, pregnant or otherwise immunocompromised—must eat contaminated food. The number of bacteria resulting in infection and the amount of time before illness varies considerably. Symptoms vary among people but can include fever, flu-like symptoms, headache, stiff neck, confusion and loss of balance."
The FDA says on its website: "Pregnant women and their unborn or newborn baby, adults over the age of 65, and those with weakened immune systems, are all considered to be high-risk groups that are susceptible to the serious and adverse effects of listeriosis."
What Happens Next
The recall is listed as ongoing, according to the FDA. Customers who purchased the affected products should not consume them.
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