In February 2015, Texas officials informed Blue Bell that samples of two ice cream products from its Brenham factory were tested positive for listeria monocytogenes, a dangerous pathogen that can lead to serious illness or death in vulnerable populations such as pregnant women, newborns, the elderly, and those with compromised immune systems.
The ice cream manufacturer removed its remaining stock of the two products from store shelves. However, it did not recall the products or issue any formal announcement to inform consumers about possible listeria contamination.
Blue Bell also received additional state-led testing confirming listeria contamination in a third product, two weeks after receiving notice regarding the result of the first tests. Again, the ice cream manufacturer failed to issue any formal announcement to consumers about the positive listeria tests.
In March 2015, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) conducted tests and found that five patients at a Kansas hospital with listeriosis were sickened by ingesting Blue Bell ice cream.
