The final phase of market entry for Blue Bell ice cream is set for a two week period starting January 18, 2016. During this time frame, Blue Bell ice cream products will become available in parts of Tennessee, Alabama, Georgia, Kentucky, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Virginia. This comes after a CBS report in December stating that the Unites States Department of Justice was allegedly investigating any Blue Bell Officials that may have had prior knowledge of Listeria contaminated products and factories before the massive recall, but the company had declined to comment on it.
The recall from April 2015 was due to the discovery of Listeria in several Blue Bell products and factories. According to The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the outbreak was connected to ten hospitalizations spanning across four states as well as three deaths in Kansas. For a healthy individual infected with the bacteria he or she will experience symptoms such as fever and aches, and diarrhea followed by abdominal pain. The bacteria can be life-threatening to the elderly, young, or those with poor or compromised immune systems. Since the outbreak Blue Bell introduced more enhanced procedures to test for bacteria, both in products and in the environment. A company spokesperson commented in a news release, “Because Listeria is commonly found in the natural environment, no manufacturer can ever assume it can be entirely eradicated.” Blue Bell has stated they are testing every batch and while strands have been found in facilities, no product has tested positive, something they are contributing to their new procedures.
If you or a loved one has been injured by a defective or contaminated product, contact an attorney at Abraham, Watkins, Nichols, Agosto, Aziz & Stogner by calling (713) 222-7211 or toll free at 713-222-7211.