A federal court ordered Blue Bell Creameries to pay $17.25 million in criminal penalties for distributing ice cream products linked to a 2015 Listeriosis outbreak.
According to the U.S. Department of Justice, U.S. District Judge Robert Pitman of Austin, Texas imposed a sentence that was consistent with the terms of the ice cream manufacturer’s plea agreement. The amount was the largest-ever criminal penalty following a conviction in a food safety case.
In a statement, DOJ Civil Division Acting Assistant Attorney General Jeffrey Bossert Clark said, “American consumers must be able to trust that the foods they purchase are safe to eat. The sentence…sends a clear message to food manufacturers that the Department of Justice will take appropriate actions when contaminated food products endanger consumers.”
Blue Bell pleaded guilty of distributing ice cream contaminated with listeria
In May 2020, Blue Bell pleaded guilty to two misdemeanor counts of distributing adulterated ice cream products. The company admitted that the products were manufactured under unsanitary conditions and contaminated with listeria monocytogenes.
