Blue Bell recalls ice cream on new Listeria fears

BRENHAM, Texas, Oct. 11 (UPI) -- Ice cream maker Blue Bell Creameries announced a recall of products containing potentially tainted cookie dough.

A statement issued Monday said the manufacturer is voluntarily recalling its Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough and Cookie Two Step products, sold in pints and half-gallons, because one ingredient, the cookie dough, could be tainted with Listeria monocytogenes. The dough comes from a third-party supplier, Aspen Hills Inc.

Blue Bell said the recall was conducted with the cooperation of the FDA "out of an abundance of caution." It added no report of illness has been received.

Listeria monocytogenes can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections in young children, the elderly and others with weakened immune systems. Healthy people can suffer short-term symptoms such as high fever, severe headache, stiffness, nausea, abdominal pain and diarrhea; the infection can cause miscarriages and stillbirths among pregnant women.

The recalled products were sold in stores, and the recall includes products sold in three-gallon containers to food service accounts under the names Blue Bell Blue Monster, Blue Bell Chocolate Chip Cookie and Blue Bell Krazy Kookie Dough. The products were produced from February 2, 2016 through September 7, 2016 and distributed in Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, New Mexico, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas and Virginia.

Customers are asked to return the products to their place of purchase for a full refund. Additional company information is available at 979-836-7977.