Massive Ice Cream Recall Over Listeria—23 States Impacted

Check your freezer ASAP.

Rows of popsicles displayed in a container
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Key Points

  • Rich’s Ice Cream has recalled over 110,000 cases of ice cream bars sold in 23 states due to potential contamination with listeria monocytogenes.
  • The recall includes popular flavors like Chocolate Crunch Cake, Strawberry Shortcake, and Orange Cream, which were distributed to wholesalers who supply schools and street vending trucks across the U.S.
  • While no illnesses have been reported yet, consumers are advised to discard affected products, as listeria can cause serious or life-threatening illness in vulnerable groups.

Pay close attention to which ice cream you choose from the trucks roaming your neighborhood. Rich’s Ice Cream has recalled 110,292 cases of ice cream bars sold in 23 states due to a potential listeria monocytogenes contamination, according to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

A range of flavors are affected, including Chocolate Crunch Cake, Strawberry Shortcake, and Orange Cream. The recalled ice cream and frozen treats were distributed and sold to wholesalers in Alabama, Arizona, California, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Iowa, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, and Wisconsin.

The FAQ page on Rich’s Ice Cream website says that the company's products are "available in schools and on street vending trucks (a.k.a. 'the ice cream man') all across the country. At this time, we ship only to large wholesale ice cream distributors all over the U.S. These distributors then sell our ice cream to schools and businesses in their local market." The frozen treats are individually packaged in plastic bags.

A complete list of the recalled products, along with product descriptions and lot numbers, can be found in the FDA's enforcement report. The recall was classified as Class II, meaning that the recalled food "may cause temporary or medically reversible adverse health consequences."

As of now, it's unclear if any illnesses have been reported due to the recall. That said, consumers should throw away these frozen treats if they have them in their freezers.

Symptoms of an intestinal illness caused by listeria, such as diarrhea and vomiting, usually start within 24 hours after eating the contaminated food and last one to three days, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Listeria infections can be dangerous or life-threatening for young children and those who are 65 and older, immunocompromised, or pregnant. More severe symptoms can include fever, flu-like symptoms such as muscle aches and fatigue, headache, stiff neck, confusion, loss of balance, and seizures.

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