Hummus and ice cream are two of the most popular snacks. But popular brands of both recently have been recalled due to risks of contracting Listeria.
Named for Joseph Lister, a pioneer in sterile surgery, Listeria is a form of bacteria that can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections marked by high fever, severe headache, nausea, abdominal pain and diarrhea. At highest risk are young children, frail or elderly people and others with weakened immune systems. Listeria also can cause miscarriages and stillbirths, so it’s particularly dangerous for pregnant women.
The biggest news is that of Brenham, TX-based Blue Bell Creameries recalling its entire product line, including ice cream, frozen yogurt, sherbet and frozen snacks sold in 23 Southern states, including Florida. Three people in Kansas have died in the past year and 10 people in four states (Arizona, Kansas, Oklahoma and Texas) have fallen ill from the bacteria believed to have come from Blue Bell products. According to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the first illnesses believed to have been caused by contaminated Blue Bell products occurred as early as 2010.
“We’re committed to doing the 100 percent right thing, and the best way to do that is to take all of our products off the market until we can be confident that they are all safe,” said Paul Kruse, Blue Bell CEO and president. “We are heartbroken about this situation and apologize to all of our loyal Blue Bell fans and customers. Our entire history has been about making the very best and highest quality ice cream and we intend to fix this problem. We want enjoying our ice cream to be a source of joy and pleasure, never a cause for concern, so we are committed to getting this right.”
Meanwhile, White Plains, NY-based Sabra Dipping co. recently issued a recall of 30,000 cases of hummus after a routine, random sample collected at a Michigan store on March 30 tested positive for Listeria monocytogenes.
Affected products include:
- Sabra Classic Hummus, 10-oz packages with use-by dates of May 11 and May 15
- Sabra Classic Hummus, 30-oz packages with a use-by date of May 11
- Sabra Classic Hummus without Garnish, 32-oz packages with a use-by date of May 11
- Sabra Classic Hummus, 17-oz Six Pack with a use-by date of May 11
- Hummus Dual Pack Classic/Garlic, 23.5-oz with a use-by date of May 11
Thus far, no illnesses have been reported in connection with the Sabra products, but officials warn that the risk exists.
If you believe that you or your dependents may have contracted a Listeria infection from eating a Blue Bell or Sabra product, get medical treatment and contact a product liability attorney with Orlando’s Todd E. Copeland at 407-999-8995. If not, bring your products to back to your retailer for a full refund.
