BRENHAM, Texas -- Blue Bell Creameries is voluntarily recalling all ice-cream products that were made with a cookie-dough ingredient that may contain listeria monocytogenes.
No illnesses have been reported to date, but Blue Bell said the recall is an "abundance of caution." Consumers should not eat the recalled products and are encouraged to return them to the place of purchase for a full refund.
The listeria bacteria can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections in young children, frail or elderly people and others with weakened immune systems. Although healthy individuals may suffer only short-term symptoms such as high fever, severe headache, stiffness, nausea, abdominal pain and diarrhea, listeria infection can cause miscarriages and stillbirths among pregnant women.
The cookie dough was supplied by Aspen Hills Inc. of Garner, Iowa. Blue Bell Creameries, based in Brenham, Texas, expanded the recall after Aspen Hills provided additional information on affected cookie-dough lots.
The recall includes half gallons and pints of Blue Bell Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough and Cookie Two Step, and gallon flavors of Blue Monster, Chocolate Chip Cookie and Krazy Kookie Dough. The products were produced from Feb. 2 to Sept. 7.
Blue Bell previous dealt with voluntary recalls in May 2016 and April 2015.
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