An ice cream company confirmed it is recalling ice cream products due to a possible Listeria monocytogenes contamination.
An ice cream company confirmed it is recalling ice cream products due to a possible
Listeria monocytogenes bacterial contamination, according to a
notice posted by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
Life Raft Treats said it expanded a recall of its Not Fried Chicken 64-ounce bucket, Not Friday Chicken 2.5-ounce bar, and Life Is Peachy six-pound box ice cream products. The expiration dates for the products go up to Aug. 8, 2024, the notice said.
On Sept. 18, the company was notified by the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control that an additional lot of one of the products tested positive for Listeria monocytogenes, which can cause a potentially deadly bacterial infection. The company then recalled additional lots of its products, according to the notice.
So far, no illnesses associated with the recalled items have been reported.
The products in question were shipped out to about three-dozen U.S. states, including California, New York, Texas, Florida, and Illinois. The ice cream is packaged in laminated buckets and plastic wrap, the said the recall notice, which included
photos of the items.
“Consumers who have purchased these products are urged not to consume them and to return the products to the place of purchase for a full refund or they may discard the product,” the notice said.
According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Listeria monocytogenes can cause sometimes fatal infections in the elderly, frail, or young people, or in others with compromised immune systems. The infection can also cause stillbirths and miscarriages among women who are pregnant.
Generally, healthy people suffer short-term symptoms such as high fever, nausea, headache, abdominal pain, and diarrhea, according to the agency.
“If you’ve eaten a food that’s been recalled because of a listeria outbreak, watch for signs or symptoms of illness,”
says the Mayo Clinic. “If you have a fever, muscle aches, nausea or diarrhea, contact your doctor. The same goes for illness after eating a potentially contaminated product, such as foods made with unpasteurized milk or poorly heated hot dogs or deli meats.”
The clinic also noted that the bacteria “can survive refrigeration and even freezing” and that “people who are at higher risk of serious infections should avoid eating the types of food most likely to contain listeria bacteria,” according to its website.
Ice cream appears to be a common listeria-contaminated item. Over the years, there have been numerous recalls of ice cream across the United States after the bacteria was discovered.
In August, the CDC
warned about a listeria outbreak linked to Real Kosher Ice Cream’s “Soft Serve On The Go” ice cream cup collected from a sick individual’s freezer. ”The true number of sick people in this outbreak is likely higher than the number reported, and the outbreak may not be limited to the states with known illnesses,” the alert said.
“CDC is concerned because the recalled ice cream was served in at least one long-term care facility, where many residents are ages 65 or older or may have weakened immune systems,” the agency said. “This makes them more likely to get very sick from Listeria.”
Real Kosher Ice Cream recalled its products in about 20 states,
according to an FDA notice earlier this year.
But listeria outbreaks have also been linked to raw milk, cheese, raw or undercooked meat, raw or smoked seafood, and raw or processed vegetables, and have triggered a number of recalls over the years, the FDA
says.
