WASHINGTON — Is ice cream safe to eat? Federal officials say yes, even amid recalls by two icecream companies after the discovery of listeria bacteria in their frozen confections.
The Food and Drug Administration and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention say there’sno reason to think that listeria illnesses and deaths linked to Texas-based Blue Bell Creameriesand the discovery of listeria in a sample of Columbus-based Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams arerelated.
“Based upon what we know now, there is no connection between these two ice-cream companies norany reason to suspect that ice cream as a whole poses any special foodborne disease risk,” said theCDC’s Dr. Robert Tauxe.
Still, Tauxe said the discovery of listeria is a “wake-up call” for the industry, because thebacteria isn’t common in ice cream. The hardy bacteria thrive in cooler environments but can’t growat freezing temperatures.
At least one other major ice-cream manufacturer, Unilever, seemed confident, saying in astatement that the company has “robust quality and safety protocols across our ice-cream networkdesigned to prevent listeria contamination.” Unilever owns Ben & Jerry’s, Breyer’s and otherice-cream brands.
The FDA said consumers should feel safe eating any products that haven’t been recalled.
“Despite these recalls, it is important to understand that ice cream in the United States isgenerally safe,” said the FDA’s Jeff Ventura. “These recalls are an example of companies takingappropriate action by getting potentially unsafe foods off the market.”
Listeria illnesses generally affect only the elderly, people with compromised immune systems andpregnant women. The bacteria is found in soil and water, and it can be tracked into a manufacturingfacility, carried by animals or spread by employees not using proper sanitation practices.
Bill Yarbrough of New Albany said he understands why the recalls are concerning to those most atrisk but he’s not going to stop buying ice cream. Expecting that the company would take a hit,Yarbrough started recruiting fellow fans on Facebook to help Jeni’s rebound.
“When a company makes a good decision like this, but it’s going to cost them a lot of money,they need to know and be rewarded for that,” he said.
Sandra Eskin, director of food safety for the Pew Charitable Trusts, said she thinks the U.S.ice-cream supply is safe but the outbreak linked to Blue Bell shows the need for more testing forfoodborne bacteria in manufacturing facilities. President Barack Obama signed a sweeping new foodsafety law in 2011 that would boost some of that testing, but the FDA hasn’t yet put all the rulesin place.
“It’s frustrating that people have to get sick while we wait for the process to play out,” Eskinsaid.
Former FDA assistant commissioner David Acheson, now a consultant to food manufacturers, saidice-cream companies will boost listeria testing as a result of the recalls.
“We just have to cross our fingers there won’t be a whole lot more recalls,” Acheson said. “Whenyou start to look, you find.”
The Food and Drug Administration and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention say there’sno reason to think that listeria illnesses and deaths linked to Texas-based Blue Bell Creameriesand the discovery of listeria in a sample of Columbus-based Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams arerelated.
“Based upon what we know now, there is no connection between these two ice-cream companies norany reason to suspect that ice cream as a whole poses any special foodborne disease risk,” said theCDC’s Dr. Robert Tauxe.
Still, Tauxe said the discovery of listeria is a “wake-up call” for the industry, because thebacteria isn’t common in ice cream. The hardy bacteria thrive in cooler environments but can’t growat freezing temperatures.
At least one other major ice-cream manufacturer, Unilever, seemed confident, saying in astatement that the company has “robust quality and safety protocols across our ice-cream networkdesigned to prevent listeria contamination.” Unilever owns Ben & Jerry’s, Breyer’s and otherice-cream brands.
The FDA said consumers should feel safe eating any products that haven’t been recalled.
“Despite these recalls, it is important to understand that ice cream in the United States isgenerally safe,” said the FDA’s Jeff Ventura. “These recalls are an example of companies takingappropriate action by getting potentially unsafe foods off the market.”
Listeria illnesses generally affect only the elderly, people with compromised immune systems andpregnant women. The bacteria is found in soil and water, and it can be tracked into a manufacturingfacility, carried by animals or spread by employees not using proper sanitation practices.
Bill Yarbrough of New Albany said he understands why the recalls are concerning to those most atrisk but he’s not going to stop buying ice cream. Expecting that the company would take a hit,Yarbrough started recruiting fellow fans on Facebook to help Jeni’s rebound.
“When a company makes a good decision like this, but it’s going to cost them a lot of money,they need to know and be rewarded for that,” he said.
Sandra Eskin, director of food safety for the Pew Charitable Trusts, said she thinks the U.S.ice-cream supply is safe but the outbreak linked to Blue Bell shows the need for more testing forfoodborne bacteria in manufacturing facilities. President Barack Obama signed a sweeping new foodsafety law in 2011 that would boost some of that testing, but the FDA hasn’t yet put all the rulesin place.
“It’s frustrating that people have to get sick while we wait for the process to play out,” Eskinsaid.
Former FDA assistant commissioner David Acheson, now a consultant to food manufacturers, saidice-cream companies will boost listeria testing as a result of the recalls.
“We just have to cross our fingers there won’t be a whole lot more recalls,” Acheson said. “Whenyou start to look, you find.”
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