Ice cream sold in 19 states is recalled due to listeria outbreak

A frozen food company from New York has recalled cups of its 8-ounce ice cream because the product might be contaminated with listeria. 

The recall, announced by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration on Thursday, centers on Real Kosher brand Soft Serve On The Go. The FDA said it's investigating the ice cream, which has been sold in 19 states and Washington, D.C. 

One person in New York and another in Pennsylvania have fallen ill and needed hospitalization after eating the ice cream, FDA officials said. 

Real Kosher has stopped producing the ice cream until the FDA finishes its investigation. The company — which also sells frozen fruit, pizza and flatbreads — said this week its other products are still safe to consume. No deaths have been reported linked to the ice cream. 

"Our highest priority is the safety and well-being of our customers, which is why we have made the decision to recall all Soft Serve on the Go Cups," the company said in its recall notice. "Soft Serve on the Go Cups are manufactured at their own dedicated facility. No other products are affected by this recall."

Recalled ice cream flavors

According to Real Kosher, the recalled ice cream flavors are:

• Soft Serve on the go Vanilla Chocolate
• Soft Serve on the go Razzle
• Soft Serve on the go Caramel
• Soft Serve on the go Parve Vanilla Chocolate
• Soft Serve on the go Sorbet Strawberry Mango
• Soft Serve Lite Peanut Butter

Soft Serve On The Go has been sold in canteens, grocery stores and convenience stores and served in schools, nursing homes and camps, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The ice cream has also been distributed outside the U.S., to Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Mexico and the UK, the CDC said. 

States impacted by the recall

Real Kosher's recalled ice cream was sold in the following states:

• California
• Colorado
• Connecticut
• Delaware
• Florida
• Illinois
• Massachusetts
• Maryland
• Minnesota
• Montana
• North Carolina
• New Hampshire
• New Jersey
• New York
• Ohio
• Oregon
• Pennsylvania
• Virginia
• West Virginia

The product was also sold in Washington, D.C.

Listeria impact

Real Kosher launched its recall after the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture examined the ice cream product and it tested positive for listeria, the FDA said. Listeria is a bacterial infection that can cause serious and sometimes fatal illness in young children, frail or elderly people, or others with weakened immune systems. 

Healthy people may experience symptoms like high fever, severe headache and stomach pain. The infection can also cause miscarriages and stillbirths. An estimated 1,600 Americans get listeriosis each year, and about 260 die, according to CDC data.

Customers with the ice cream are asked to discard it or return it to where it was purchased. Retailers with Soft Serve On The Go on their shelves should count how many cups they have, throw all of them away, then tell Real Kosher how many cups were tossed so they can issue a refund. 

Anyone with questions about the recall can contact Real Kosher at 1-845-668-4346 or info@softserveonthego.com.

In:
• Product Recall
• FDA
• Listeria

Khristopher J. Brooks

Khristopher J. Brooks is a reporter for CBS MoneyWatch covering business, consumer and financial stories that range from economic inequality and housing issues to bankruptcies and the business of sports.

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