That $12 Ice Cream You Bought at Whole Foods Might Be Contaminated with Listeria
Recently, ice cream company Blue Bell was forced to recall virtually all of their products following reports of listeria contamination and the attendant public health risks. But lest you think that only mass-produced frozen treats fall prey to bacteria, think again: Jeni’s Splendid Ice Cream—beloved by foodies and Ohio transplants galore—is now recalling every single one of their products because of listeria as well.
We learned about the recall from New York’s Grub Street, which reports that while “there have been no reported illnesses… the Nebraska Department of Agriculture discovered the contamination while doing a random sampling.” Not only will all products be recalled but scoop shops will be closed as well. Jeni’s website has issued this statement:
We received the call that no ice cream maker, chef, or entrepreneur wants. A randomly selected pint of ours tested positive for the presence of Listeria monocytogenes. Out of an abundance of caution, we made the swift decision to cease all ice cream production and sales until we can get to the very root of the problem. We are enlisting the help of experts so we can identify the cause, eliminate it, and return as quickly as possible to the business of making ice cream.
So let this be a lesson: No matter how delicious and expensive (seriously, though, Jeni’s is pricey) something is, it might not actually be all that good for you in the end.