Nearly 70 ice cream products recalled over listeria concerns

Check those freezers, because the latest nationwide recall affects dozens of ice cream products. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration warned consumers Monday about a possible listeria contamination connected to Maryland-based company Totally Cool’s dessert items.

No illnesses have been reported, and Totally Cool has provided a list of every product affected by the recall, which can be accessed at fda.gov.

“Totally Cool, Inc. has ceased the production and distribution of the affected products due to FDA sampling which discovered the presence of Listeria monocytogenes,” the company said in its announcement. “The company continues its investigation and is taking preventive actions. No other products produced by Totally Cool, Inc. are impacted by this recall.”

Listeria is a bacteria that causes an estimated 1,600 infections and 260 deaths in the U.S. each year, according to the Atlanta-based Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The FDA said listeriosis, the foodborne illness caused by the bacteria, is rare but “very serious.”

“Even with adequate antibiotic treatment, the disease has a high mortality rate of 20% to 30%,” the administration reported. “Over 90% of people with listeriosis are hospitalized, often in intensive care units.”

Lasting days to weeks, the most common listeriosis symptoms are fever, muscle aches, nausea, vomiting and diarrhea. More severe cases can cause headache, stiff neck, confusion, loss of balance and convulsions. Infection can also cause miscarriages and stillbirths in pregnant women.

The recall affects 68 products across more than a dozen brands. If you find affected ice cream in your freezer, you can return it to where you bought it for a full refund. Totally Cool can be reached for consumer questions at 410-363-7801 and regulatory@totallycoolicecream.com from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday.

Here are the products affected: