The more than 60 products recalled include Chipwich Vanilla Chocolate Chip Ice Cream Sandwiches, Jeni’s Mint Chocolate Truffle Pie Ice Cream Sandwiches and Hershey’s Cookies & Cream Polar Bear Ice Cream Sandwiches.
Chipwich / Jeni’s Ice Creams / Hershey’s Ice Cream
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Chipwich / Jeni’s Ice Creams / Hershey’s Ice Cream
As millions of Americans try to cool off during record-breaking heat, a Maryland-based food manufacturer has recalled several brands of ice cream products sold nationwide that may be contaminated with a deadly bacteria called Listeria.
The list of more than 60 affected products made by Owings Mills, Maryland-based Totally Cool Inc. includes brands such as Hershey’s, Friendly’s, Chipwich and Jeni’s. Pints of ice cream and sorbet, as well as ice cream cakes, sandwiches, cones and more are potentially contaminated.
The Food and Drug Administration said no illnesses have been reported so far.
Totally Cool halted production and distribution of the products after the FDA found the presence of listeria in samples, the agency said.
The FDA said the company is investigating the presence of listeria and taking “preventive action,” and that no other Totally Cool products are involved in the recall.
Totally Cool did not immediately respond to NPR’s request for comment.
Consumers who have purchased any of the recalled ice cream products are being urged to return the items for a full refund. Affected products can be identified using the date and plant code printed on the product label.
Chipwich said in a statement on its website that its parent company, Crave Better Foods LLC, “maintains and operates a smaller, separate production line” at the same Maryland facility as Totally Cool.
Chipwich described the recall as “unfortunate” and said it was taken “out of an abundance of caution and care for the product and its loyal fans.”
Hershey Ice Cream said it has stopped selling potentially affected products following the recall from its manufacturing partner, Totally Cool. Hershey also asked consumers and dealers to throw away any potentially contaminated items they already have.
The FDA says Listeria monocytogenes Serious and sometimes fatal infections can occur in young children, the elderly, and people with weakened immune systems. Pregnant women infected with Listeria may also experience miscarriage or stillbirth.
Healthy people who eat food contaminated with the bacteria may develop mild illness, which can include symptoms such as high fever, severe headache, stiffness, nausea, stomach pain and diarrhea, the agency said.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, about 1,600 people are infected with listeriosis each year, and an estimated 260 of them die.
