Big Olaf ice cream, Vidalia onions linked to listeria outbreaks

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Listeria outbreak overview:

• Who: Food safety authorities issued a warning and recall regarding ice cream and onions that may be contaminated with listeria monocytogenes.
• Why: They say a multistate outbreak of listeria infections could be linked to the ice cream, and A&M Farms recalled the onions due to potential listeria contamination.
• Where: The warning and recall are nationwide. 

Food safety authorities issued a warning and a recall regarding ice cream and onions that may be contaminated with listeria monocytogenes.

Big Olaf Creamery issues warning over ice cream products

On July 2, the Florida Department of Health, Centers for Disease Control and U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), along with public health and regulatory officials in several other states, announced they were investigating a multistate outbreak of listeria monocytogenes infections.

So far, there have been 23 illnesses, 22 hospitalizations and one death related to the listeria outbreak.

Of the 17 people interviewed about their illness so far, 14 reported eating ice cream. And among 13 people who remembered details about the type of ice cream they ate, six reported eating Big Olaf Creamery brand ice cream or eating ice cream at locations that might have been supplied by Big Olaf Creamery, the food safety authorities say. 

As a result of the investigation, Big Olaf Creamery in Sarasota, Florida, voluntarily contacted retail locations to recommend against selling their ice cream products. 

“Consumers who have Big Olaf Creamery brand ice cream at home should throw away any remaining product,” the warning notice says.

A&M Farms recalls Little Bear Vidalia onions due to potential listeria contamination

Meanwhile, A&M Farms of Lyons, Georgia, voluntarily recalled whole Vidalia onions packed between June 20 to June 23, 2022, because they have the potential to be contaminated with listeria monocytogenes.

The FDA issued a recall notice on its website related to the Little Bear brand onions June 30. 

Consumers can identify the recalled Vidalia Onions by the purchase location, PLU 4159 and the Little Bear brand on the PLU sticker.

The recalled Little Bear onions were available for sale to consumers on June 23 and 24 at Wegmans stores in the Rochester-area, Massachusetts and at the Erie West and Erie Peach Street Wegmans stores in Pennsylvania. 

The onions were also available for sale June 22 to 24 at Publix stores in the state of Florida and in Georgia Publix stores in Barrow, Clarke, DeKalb, Forsyth, Fulton, Gwinnett, Hall, Jackson, Oconee and Walton counties.

To date, no illnesses or adverse events have been reported, the notice says. The company is not currently facing legal action over the recall, but Top Class Actions follows recalls closely as they sometimes end in class action lawsuits.

The recall comes after internal company testing detected listeria on a single pack line. 

“Anyone who has the recalled product in their possession should not consume it. The product should be disposed of and may be returned to the place of purchase with a receipt for a refund,” the notice says. 

Last month, a variety of cheeses sold under different brands in nine states were recalled due to potential listeria contamination.

Have you been affected by a listeria outbreak? Let us know in the comments! 

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