The FDA in late June issued a recall affecting over a dozen ice brands produced by the Maryland-based company Totally Cool, Inc., including Hershey’s Ice Cream, Taharka Brothers Ice Cream, Friendly’s, Chipwich, and the Frozen Farmer, due to a listeria risk.
In a June 24 recall alert, the FDA said Totally Cool ceased production and distribution of ice cream products made in its facility after sampling by the agency found the presence of the pathogenic bacteria Listeria monocytogenes.
While no illnesses have been reported as yet, the FDA said the bacteria can cause “serious and sometimes fatal infections,” especially in young children, the very old and frail, and individuals with weakened immune systems.
Totally Cool has continued its investigation into the problem and “is taking preventative actions,” the FDA said.
In total, 13 different ice cream brands and more than 60 varieties of products are affected by the recall.
The FDA posted a complete list of all of the products included in the recall, which includes ice cream brands distributed to retail locations nationwide and through direct delivery.
Consumers who previously purchased any of the listed products are instructed to either return the items to the retail location for a refund or throw them away.
The listeriosis infection causes high fevers, abdominal pain, nausea, diarrhea, severe headaches, and stiffness. Pregnant women suffering from listeriosis could experience miscarriages or stillbirths, the FDA said.
In a June 25 statement, Taharka Brothers Ice Cream announced that the two ice cream flavors it outsourced to Totally Cool would be made at its own facility effective immediately.
ChipWich brand owner Crave Better Foods said that while it used a Totally Cool-owned facility to make its vanilla chocolate chip ice cream sandwiches, it used a separate production line. At the same time, Crave Better said it would recall the sandwiches “out of an abundance of caution.”
