Blue Bell expands recall over Listeria concerns

After a voluntary recall of specific Blue Bell ice cream products in September, Blue Bell is expanding the recall to include all products made with a cookie dough ingredient produced by a third-party supplier because they may be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes, according to a recall notice from the Defense Commissary Agency's food safety office sent Oct. 11.

The Defense Commissary Agency has publicized this product withdrawal to all its stores, said Richard Stith, the lead consumer safety officer for DeCA headquarters at Fort Lee, Virginia. Whenever a commissary has a recalled or withdrawn product in its inventory, the product is immediately removed from store shelves.

The recall expansion includes all products made with the affected cookie dough ingredient:

• Blue Bell Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough half gallon
• Blue Bell Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough pint
• Blue Bell Cookie Two Step half gallon
• Blue Bell Cookie Two Step pint

The products were produced from Feb. 2, 2016 through Sept. 7, 2016.

The previous recall involved the following products:

• Blue Bell Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough half gallon: Code date – 082618226
• Blue Bell Cookie Two Step half gallon: Code dates – 080418222, 081818224
• Blue Bell Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough pint: Code dates – 081518242, 082418242

Listeria monocytogenes may cause serious and sometimes fatal infections in young children, the frail or elderly, and those with weakened immune systems. Healthy adults may only suffer short-term symptoms such as high fever, severe headache, stiffness, nausea, abdominal pain and diarrhea. Listeria infections may also cause miscarriages and stillbirths among pregnant women. No illnesses have been reported to date, but the illness caused by these bacteria can take up to 70 days to appear.

Customers should return this product to the commissary of purchase for a full refund. Blue Bell can be contacted by calling 979-836-7977, Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. CST.