Brooklyn-Based Ice Cream Company Issues Recall After Possible Listeria Outbreak
Real Kosher Ice Cream, an ice cream company based in Brooklyn, has issued a recall of all flavors of its soft serve ice cream and sorbet brand. This comes after two people fell sick and were hospitalized after consuming the company’s vanilla chocolate flavor. Health officials suspect that the illnesses may be linked to Listeria, a type of bacteria that can cause serious sickness in elderly individuals and pose risks to pregnant women.
Real Kosher Ice Cream announced the recall on Wednesday, stating that all six flavors of its Soft Serve on the Go Cups will be immediately recalled. The company has notified all retailers who stock the brand, instructing them to remove the products from shelves and dispose of them.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has issued an alert about a possible Listeria outbreak associated with Soft Serve on the Go Cups. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is currently investigating the outbreak, which is believed to affect 19 states and the District of Columbia, as well as several international locations where the product is distributed.
Ari Klein, one of the owners of Real Kosher Ice Cream, assured the public that the company is cooperating fully with health officials to determine the cause of the illnesses. Despite the recall being initiated due to illnesses caused by the vanilla chocolate flavor, the company decided to recall all flavors as a precautionary measure.
Real Kosher Ice Cream emphasized that its other products, including frozen pizzas and frozen fruit, are manufactured at a separate facility and have not been affected by the recall.
The CDC took to Instagram to warn the public not to consume Soft Serve on the Go Cups, stating that the product had been served in at least one long-term care home.
The recall was prompted by two customers who were hospitalized in Pennsylvania and New York after consuming Soft Serve on the Go vanilla chocolate ice cream between May and June. Ice cream samples from one of the affected individuals’ freezers tested positive for Listeria. Health officials are still investigating whether this strain matches the one responsible for the current outbreak. No deaths have been reported so far.
Listeria outbreaks are not uncommon in the United States. Previous outbreaks have been linked to contaminated deli meat, cheeses, and other retail ice cream brands.
Symptoms of Listeria infection can emerge within a few hours or up to three days after consuming contaminated food. More severe symptoms, such as confusion, loss of balance, and convulsions, may develop over a period of several days to months.
Soft Serve on the Go products are sold in clear plastic eight-ounce cups and come in six different flavors. Real Kosher Ice Cream intends to clearly label future versions of its products to assure customers that they are safe to consume once guidance is received from health officials.
Real Kosher Ice Cream operates seven other brands, including Klein’s, its signature ice cream brand, and Chevra, a line of frozen pizzas.
This recall serves as a reminder for consumers to remain vigilant and stay informed about food safety.