The U.S. Department of Justice’s (DOJ) Civil Division has opened a criminal investigation regarding Blue Bell Creamery’s response to last spring’s Listeria outbreak that ultimately caused three deaths and at least 10 illnesses.
Details are thin since the news was leaked by an anonymous source. According to reports, the DOJ’s Civil Division will be looking into whether or not anyone at Blue Bell was aware that the company was distributing contaminated product to the mass market. Investigators reportedly want to know if executives knew about the presence of Listeria in the affected production plants, and if so, how they responded upon learning of it.
After halting production to sanitize facilities and retrain employees on proper safety procedures, Blue Bell began distributing its ice cream products to stores again in August.
Related articles:
Blue Bell Workers Say Production, Money Over Cleanliness at Texas Plant
Blue Bell to Return in Select Markets Before Labor Day
First Blue Bell Plant to Resume Production After Massive Recall
FDA Report Show Blue Bell Food Safety Violations Date Back 8 Years
Blue Bell and the Very Real Impact of the Food Safety Modernization Act
FDA Says Blue Bell Listeria Contamination Dates Back to March 2013
Blue Bell Recalls All Products After Listeria Contamination
