A second ice cream company is recalling its branded products — made by Dr. Bob’s of Upland LLC — because of potential Listeria contamination from the manufacturing plant.
McConnell’s Fine Ice Creams of Santa Barbara, CA, recalled seven flavors of its ice cream pints from 41 states Friday, reporting that the Food and Drug Administration had found Listeria monocytogenes at the Dr. Bob’s plant and in finished ice cream packaged under another brand.
Two days earlier AC Creamery Inc. of Anaheim, CA, cited the same cause in its recall of Manila Sky Purple Yumm flavored ice cream pints.
An FDA spokesman was unable to provide additional information on the findings at Dr. Bob’s manufacturing plant or from the unnamed ice cream brand that was found to be contaminated with Listeria, as reported in the AC Creamery and McConnell’s recall notices posted on the FDA website.
Officials with Dr. Bob’s did not respond to email requests for comment. The company’s toll-free and direct phone lines had disconnected recordings on Friday. The most recent postings on the Dr. Bob’ website appear to be from 2013.
As of Friday night, the FDA had not posted any recall information about other ice cream products manufactured by Dr. Bob’s, despite the references in the AC Creamery and McConnell’s recall about Listeria having been found in finished product.
“The U.S. Food and Drug Administration found samples positive for Listeria monocytogenes in the contract manufacturer’s facility and in finished product of another company’s brand, leading the contract manufacturer to recall all ice cream products it produced for McConnell’s and other ice cream companies this year,” according to the McConnell’s recall notice.
No illnesses had been reported in relation to the AC Creamery or McConnell’s ice cream, as of the posting of their recall notices on the FDA website. Only one flavor from AC Creamery and seven under the McConnell’s brand are under recall.
“The seven affected flavors, available only in pints, accounts for approximately 15 percent of the pint-packaged ice cream products carrying the McConnell’s brand label,” according to the recall notice.
“All of the recalled products were manufactured and packaged in a facility owned by a contract manufacturer, Dr. Bob’s of Upland LLC. No other products were affected. Ice cream produced at McConnell’s Santa Barbara facility are not included in the recall.
“Because this recall affects only McConnell’s products manufactured by the contract manufacturer facility, it is important that consumers carefully check the following flavor/code date combinations to be certain the correct products are removed.”
Consumers can identify the recalled McConnell’s ice cream by looking for the following information on the pint packages:
- Dutchman’s Chocolate — JUL 27 2017, OCT 01 2017 and OCT 05 2017
- Mint Chip — SEP 08 2017, SEP 30 2017, OCT 07 2017, DEC 01, 2017, DEC 30, 2017, JAN 04, 2018, JAN 05, 2018
- Peppermint Stick — JUL 25, 2017, JUL 26, 2017, SEP 30, 2017
- Salted Caramel Chip — OCT 07, 2017, OCT 20, 2017, DEC 22, 2017, JAN 06, 2018, JAN 07, 2018
- Sweet Cream — JUL 27, 2017, SEP 08, 2017, OCT 01, 2017, OCT 21, 2017, DEC 08, 2017, DEC 21, 2017, DEC 24, 2017
- Turkish Coffee — JUL 28, 2017, SEP 22, 2017, OCT 07, 2017, Dec 06, 2017
- Vanilla Bean — JUL 13, 2017, JUL 25, 2017, JUL 27, 2017, OCT 01, 2017, OCT 15, 2017, DEC 07, 2017, DEC 25, 2017, JAN 03, 2018, JAN 06, 2018
The “Best By” numbers are printed in black on the bottom of the paper, 16-ounce cartons.
“Consumers who have purchased any of the seven 16-ounce packages of McConnell’s ice cream should not eat these products and are urged to return them to the place of purchase for a full refund,” according to the McConnell’s recall.
“Consumers with questions may contact the company recall hotline at 866-723-2454… Customers may also contact McConnell’s by email at recall@mcconnells.com.”
Anyone who has eaten any of the recalled ice cream and developed symptoms of Listeria infection should seek medical attention and tell their doctor about the potential exposure to Listeria monocytogenes. Symptoms can take up to 70 days to develop.
Although healthy people may suffer only short-term symptoms such as high fever, severe headache, stiffness, nausea, abdominal pain and diarrhea, listeria infections can be life-threatening in children, the elderly and people with suppressed immune systems. Pregnant women are at particular risk of becoming infected, with listeriosis capable of causing miscarriages and stillbirths.
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