Eating Blue Bell Ice Cream Killed Three in Kansas
Three people hospitalized at a Kansas hospital died after eating ice cream due to bacterial infection.
According to CBS News, five people ate Blue Bell ice cream while they were receiving treatment in Kansas between January 2014 and 2015. The three deceased had pre-packaged single serve ice cream products manufactured by Blue Bell which is a regular supplier at the hospital. They had died of listeriosis caused by Listeria monocytogenes bacteria. The ice cream was not suspected until South Carolina Health Department found the bacteria in Blue Bell samples tested last month.
"FDA was notified that these three strains and four other rare strains of Listeria monocytogenes were found in samples of Blue Bell Creameries single serving Chocolate Chip Country Cookie Sandwich and the Great Divide Bar ice cream products collected by the South Carolina Department of Health & Environmental Control during routine product sampling at a South Carolina distribution center. These products are manufactured at Blue Bell Creameries' Brenham facility," FDA said.
The Texas Health Department collected and tested samples at Brenham facility to find the bacteria. The products tested at Brenham were the ones patients at Kansas hospital consumed.
After tests showed the bacteria, Blue Bell shut down the production line at Brenham and recalled the affected products.
The products affected as announced by FDA are Chocolate Chip Country Cookie SKU #196, Great Divide Bar SKU #108, Sour Pop Green Apple Bar SKU #221, Cotton Candy Bar SKU # 216, Scoops SKU #117, Vanilla Stick Slices SKU #964, - Almond Bars SKU #156, 6-pack Cotton Candy Bars SKU #245, 6-pack Sour Pop Green Apple Bars SKU #249, and 12-pack No Sugar Added Mooo Bars SKU #343 (regular Mooo Bars are not affected).
