Photo: Houston Chronicle
By Erin Baxter
Devastating to Texans state-wide, in April of this year, Blue Bell Creameries had to recall some products after pints of banana pudding ice cream made at an Oklahoma plant tested positive for listeriosis. Shortly hereafter, they voluntarily recalled all products after notice of 10 listeria illnesses in four states, including three deaths in Kansas.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says half of those who got sick contracted the illness after consuming milkshakes made with Blue Bell products at a Kansas hospital, where they were being treated for other conditions.
Photo: The NY Times
Listeria is a bacteria that can cause a serious food-borne illness known as listeriosis. Older adults, pregnant women and their newborns, and people with weakened immune systems face the highest risk.
Blue Bell stopped production and started extensive cleaning and decontamination at its plants in Texas, Alabama, and Oklahoma.
Photo:
Blue Bell
By August, the company had resumed ice cream shipments, and the Brenham, TX plant was happy to announce that its trucks were “on the road again” and filled with ice cream. But, parts of the state didn’t receive any Blue Bell shipments until September and October due to the popular demand. The Hill Country has braved the outage, and the outlying areas in and around San Antonio will be the final stop to restock Blue Bell.
According to the Blue Bell Creameries official website, Blue Bell Ice Cream will begin phase three of if its five-phase market reentry plan on December 14. Phase three includes the remaining majority of Texas and central and southern Alabama.
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