What is listeria? Here’s what you need to know
Learn about Listeria, its symptoms and essential preventive measures to safeguard against the food borne illness.
More than 100,000 ice cream bars produced by Rich’s Ice Cream have been recalled over concerns of potential listeria contamination.
The Food and Drug Administration Authority (FDA) announced July 17 that Florida-based Rich’s Ice Cream Co. is recalling select products due to potential listeria monocytogenes contamination.
The recall, which impacts lot number 24351 through lot 25156 was initiated on June 27, according to the FDA notice and is classified as Class II with a total of 110,292 cases potentially affected. A Class II recall is “a situation in which use of, or exposure to, a violative product may cause temporary or medically reversible adverse health consequences or where the probability of serious adverse health consequences is remote,” the FDA website states.
USA TODAY was unable to reach Rich’s Ice Cream for comment on July 21.
Which Rich Ice Cream products are included in the recall? See list
The affected products, sold in multiple states, according to the FDA advisory, include:
- Chocolate Crunch Cake Bars
- Strawberry Shortcake Bars, Rich Bars
- Crumbled Cookie Bars
- Orange Cream Bars
- Fudge Frenzy Bars
- Cotton Candy Twirl Bars
- Savagely Sour Blue Raspberry Bars
- Savagely Sour Cherry Bars
- Cool Watermelon Bars
The frozen treats were individually packaged in plastic bags and sold in master cases.
Which states are impacted by the recall? See list
The affected products were distributed across 23 states, according to the FDA notice, including:
- Arizona
- Alabama
- Ohio
- California
- Pennsylvania
- Georgia
- New York
- New Jersey
- Florida
- Texas
- Virginia
- Illinois
- Missouri
- Massachusetts
- Tennessee
- Iowa
- South Carolina
- Oregon
- Oklahoma
- Nevada
- Louisiana
- Wisconsin
- Nebraska
They were also sold in Nassau, the capital of The Bahamas.
What should you do if you purchased the affected products?
FDA and Rich Ice Cream Co. have not yet specified what remedies are available for customers. Rich Ice Cream Co. did not immediately reply to USA TODAY’s request for a statement and more information on the recall.
Customers, meanwhile, can visit Rich Ice Cream Co.’s website for more information and to contact the company.
Listeria poisoning symptoms
Listeriosis, or listeria poisoning, is a foodborne bacterial infection most commonly caused by the bacterium listeria monocytogenes, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. It is considered a serious condition and can be dangerous or life-threatening, especially to older adults, people with weak immune systems, and pregnant women.
Listeria is the third leading cause of death from foodborne illness in the U.S., according to the CDC. The agency estimates that the disease impacts 1,600 Americans each year, with approximately 260 people dying from those infections.
Symptoms include, per the CDC:
- Fever
- Muscle aches
- Headache
- Stiff neck
- Confusion
- Loss of balance
- Convulsions
- Diarrhea
- Other gastrointestinal symptoms
- Miscarriage, stillbirth, premature delivery and/or life-threatening infection of newborn infants
- Death
People in higher-risk categories who experience flu-like symptoms within two months after eating contaminated food should seek medical care.
Contributing: Natalie Neysa Alund, USA TODAY
Saman Shafiq is a trending news reporter for USA TODAY. Reach her at sshafiq@gannett.com and follow her on X and Instagram @saman_shafiq7.
