Camilla Jessen
Check your freezer for these popular brands.
This summer treat could come with serious health risks. So, check your freezer before grabbing your next ice cream bar.
Voluntary Recall
Rich’s Ice Cream has issued a voluntary recall of over 100,000 ice cream bars due to possible contamination with Listeria monocytogenes, according to a report by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
The recall covers a wide range of popular flavors sold across 23 U.S. states and in Nassau, Bahamas.
Multiple Flavors Affected
The affected products include:
- Chocolate Crunch Cake Bar
- Strawberry Shortcake Bar
- Rich Bar
- Crumbled Cookie Bar
- Orange Cream Bar
- Fudge Frenzy Bar
- Cotton Candy Twirl Bar
- Savagely Sour Blue Raspberry Bar
- Savagely Sour Cherry Bar
- Cool Watermelon Bar
What to Look For
Consumers are urged to look for packaging marked with lot numbers ranging from “24351” through “25156.”
If your ice cream bar has one of these numbers, it should be thrown out or returned to the store where it was purchased.
Where the Ice Cream Was Sold
The recalled bars were distributed to wholesalers in the Bahamas as well as across the following U.S. states: 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.
Retailers and wholesalers in these areas are currently removing the products from shelves, but many bars may already be in consumers’ freezers.
Listeria
While no illnesses have yet been reported in connection to the recall, the FDA has classified it as a Class II recall, which means the product could cause temporary or medically reversible health issues.
However, for certain individuals, Listeria monocytogenes can be especially dangerous. Those at highest risk include pregnant individuals, adults 65 and older, people with weakened immune systems, and young children.
Listeria infection, or listeriosis, typically causes symptoms like fever, muscle aches, nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea, which usually appear within a few days of exposure.
In severe cases, the bacteria can spread beyond the gastrointestinal tract, leading to complications such as meningitis or miscarriage.
What To Do If You Have a Recalled Bar
If you discover any of the recalled ice cream bars in your freezer, do not consume them.
You can return them to the store where you purchased them for a possible refund or safely dispose of them.
Wash your hands thoroughly after handling any potentially contaminated packaging.
