Listeria Concerns Prompt Recall of Ice Cream Across Almost 20 States

By Daniel Edu

A New York-based company, Real Kosher Ice Cream, has initiated a recall of soft serve ice cream cups in 19 states along with the District of Columbia due to potential contamination with Listeria.

The recall was announced through an alert posted on the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) website. It covers all available flavors of the Soft Serve On The Go cups that were sold on or before August 4. These cups are offered in six different flavors, each packaged in 8-ounce portions.

The recall was prompted by instances of illness in two individuals—one in New York and another in Pennsylvania. These cases resulted in hospitalization. The alert reported that one person became ill after consuming a Soft Serve On The Go cup, and a sample from the same batch tested positive for Listeria monocytogenes bacteria according to the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture.

Consuming products contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes bacteria can lead to a condition called listeriosis, which the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) states causes approximately 260 deaths each year. This infection is particularly dangerous for pregnant women, newborns, older adults, and individuals with weakened immune systems.

As of the alert’s release, there have been no reported deaths associated with the recalled ice cream products.

The affected ice cream cups may have been purchased from various outlets such as canteens, grocery stores, or convenience stores in California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Illinois, Massachusetts, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, North Carolina, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia.

The FDA’s alert strongly advises against consuming the recalled product and instead recommends either discarding the Soft Serve On The Go cups or returning them to the point of purchase.

Real Kosher Ice Cream, in a statement on its website, explained that the recall was initiated with customer safety in mind. They confirmed that the Soft Serve On The Go cups are produced in a dedicated facility and that no other products are affected by this recall.

While an investigation into the matter is being conducted by both the FDA and Real Kosher Ice Cream, the production and distribution of the affected soft serve ice cream cups have been halted.