CDC Follows Listeria Outbreak After Ice Cream Recall

On August 22, 2023, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention published additional information on a Listeria outbreak linked to a recent food recall. Earlier that month, the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued a voluntary recall of Soft Serve on The Go soft serve ice cream and sorbet cups due to potential contamination with Listeria monocytogenes.

The CDC’s update links the outbreak to the recall. According to the company’s notice, the products were distributed at canteens, grocery stores, and convenience stores across the US, including retailers in California, Colorado, Connecticut, the District of Columbia, Delaware, Florida, Illinois, Massachusetts, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, North Carolina, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Oregan, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and West Virginia.

The CDC notes that the products were also distributed in long-term care facilities, nursing homes, schools, and camps. It was also exported internationally to Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Mexico, and the United Kingdom.

The recall applied to six products, including the Soft Serve on The Go flavors: Vanilla Chocolate, Razzle, Caramel, Parve Vanilla Chocolate, and Sorbet Strawberry Mango. It also recalled the Soft Serve Lite Peanut Butter flavor. The UPCs are the following:

• 0-91404-15129-0
• 0-91404-15133-7
• 0-91404-15131-3
• 0-91404-15113-9
• 0-91404-15128-3
• 0-91404-15285-3

CDC data indicates that one patient from NY and one from PA contracted Listeria after eating contaminated ice cream in May and June 2023. The median age of the patients was 77 years old. Although one patient was male and the other was female, both were non-Hispanic and White. Both patients became severely ill and had to be hospitalized; however, no fatalities were reported.

According to the CDC, in pregnant patients, Listeria symptoms may include fever, muscle aches, and tiredness that could result in pregnancy loss, premature birth, or life-threatening newborn infection. In addition, individuals who are not pregnant may present with fever, muscle aches, fatigue, headache, stiff neck, confusion, imbalance, and seizures.

While only two cases have been linked to this recall, the CDC postulates that the number may only partially represent the affected population. Some people with Listeria may recover without medical attention. Additionally, people who were infected or ill more recently may not have been linked to the outbreak yet. Listeria symptoms usually present within two weeks of consuming contaminated products; however, they can appear up to 10 weeks later.

Food contaminations are not uncommon causes of Listeria outbreaks. In 2022, the CDC investigated a different  Listeria outbreak traced back to deli meat and cheeses. In addition, this year, multiple products, including frozen pineapples or tropical fruit blends and packaged salads, have been recalled due to Listeria.

The CDC advises consumers to remove any remaining Soft Serve on The Go products by throwing them away or requesting a fever. People who have consumed the ice cream should seek help from a licensed healthcare professional if they begin exhibiting symptoms.