Cookie Dough Ingredient Recall Expands to More Popular Brands

Late last month, Blue Bell Creameries was hit with yet another product recall due to possible Listeria contamination. The ice cream’s cookie dough ingredient is believed to be the culprit. Now, the same recall includes one large grocery retailer, along with a popular brand of meal replacement bars and one more ice cream company.

Publix brand Premium Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Ice Cream has been recalled in connection to the Listeria contamination.

Blue Bunny’s Hoppin’ Holidoodle Ice Cream--produced by Wells Enterprises, Inc.--was voluntarily recalled, too. The product contains snickerdoodle cookie dough pieces that may be contaminated with Listeria.

Nutrisystem Retail Division has voluntarily recalled one of their flavored diet bars containing chocolate chip cookie dough pieces due to possible Listeria contamination. The product had very limited distribution--only 455 cases were shipped to retailers in New England and along the East Coast.

Although no traces of Listeria have been found in any of the cookie dough recalled most recently, the recalls are initiated as a precaution.

The cookie dough ingredient used by Blue Bell, Publix and Blue Bunny was purchased from the same third party supplier--Aspen Hills. The supplier has said that their product tested negative for Listeria contamination before it was sent to Blue Bell production plants. One possibility, some experts say, is faulty testing. Another is that undetectable levels of Listeria could have cultivated during a 2 month holding period before Blue Bell’s Alabama plant used the ingredient.

Reports indicate that an anonymous Aspen Hills spokesperson has confirmed that Listeria was indeed found in the company’s production facility, but the source declined to identify a specific location within the facility. That person says that Aspen Hills is conducting its own investigation.

No reports of consumer illness have been reported in connection to any of the aforementioned recalls.