Blue Bell Ice Cream is voluntarily recalling some Rocky Road ice cream pints as they have been mistakenly filled with a Cookies ‘n Cream flavor, posing potential allergy issues.
The said lids of the affected products from the Brenham, Texas-based creamery say “Cookies ‘n Cream” even while the containers themselves show a Rocky Road label. The affected pints contain Cookies ‘n Cream ice cream.
These pints can be identified via a code located on the bottom that reads 022918576. These were distributed in retail outlets — including supermarkets, convenience stores and food service entities — throughout Texas and Louisiana.
The affected ice cream stocks contain undeclared soy and wheat, which serve as common allergens.
“[This] may present a serious or life-threatening allergic reaction risk to people who have an allergy or severe sensitivity to soy or wheat,” Blue Bell said in its recall announcement, although adding that no illness has been reported yet.
According to Blue Bell, an employee discovered the erroneous packaging while providing restocks to a retailer. There are no other safety or health concerns seen by the ice cream maker apart from the potential allergens.
Customers can return the product to the store where it was bought in exchange for a full refund.
In 2015, the company pulled all its products off the shelf and shut down its factories due to a listeria scare. It was linked to 10 documented listeriosis cases among customers, with three people dying from complications.
In April 2015, Blue Bell recalled some 8 million ice cream gallons, stopping production amid being the overall number three ice cream brand in the U.S. It returned to stores with a limited presence in August 2015, but was barred from distribution until safety testing was conducted.
Listeriosis is caused by the germ listeria, which can reproduce in cold temperatures such as in refrigerators and food processing facilities. It can cause symptoms like diarrhea and fever in relatively healthy individuals, but could lead to a miscarriage or stillbirth in pregnant women.
Photo: Phillip Pessar | Flickr
