More listeria recalls for ice cream sold in Florida

Listeria problems, which caused several national ice cream recalls that touched Florida in October, continue to do so in November.

Three more brands of gourmet ice cream have been recalled, including two of them distributed in Florida. The brands are: L.A. Creamery, Agave Dream and Nancy’s Fancy. L.A. Creamery and Agave Dream are sold in Florida. All of the brands were made by California ice cream maker Dr. Bob’s of Upland, a plant where the Food and Drug Administration found listeria, a bacteria that can grow in meat and dairy products.

The recalls are in addition to two previous national recalls of flavors distributed in Florida and made at Dr. Bob’s from earlier this month. That recall involved ice cream sold under the brand names of McConnell’s and AC Creamery’s Manila Sky Purple Yumm Ice Cream.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, listeria “primarily affects older adults, pregnant women, newborns, and adults with weakened immune systems.” As each U.S. Food & Drug Administration recall announcement notes, “although healthy individuals may suffer only short-term symptoms such as high fever, severe headache, stiffness, nausea, abdominal pain and diarrhea, Listeria infection can cause miscarriages and stillbirths among pregnant women.”

In the latest recall, Agave Dream is recalling pint-size packages of vanilla (code dates 7/4/17, 9/8/17,10/9/17, 12/12/17 or 1/14/18); chocolate (7/4/17, 8/5/17, 9/8/17, 10/9/17, 12/12/17 or 12/24/17); cappuccino (7/4/17, 9/8/17, 12/2/17 or 1/14/18); chocolate chip (8/5/17 or 12/12/17); and lavender (12/2/17) flavors.

L.A. Creamery is recalling L.A. Creamery Honeycomb and L.A. Creamery Salted Caramel sold in 14-ounce containers with a March 18, 2017, expiration date.

The recall that doesn’t involve a Florida-sold brand concerns ISB Food Groups’ Nancy’s Fancy Butterscotch Budino Gelato and Nancy’s Fancy Peanut Butter with Crunchy Peanuts Gelato with expiration dates of March 18, 2017.

Meanwhile, October’s national recalls at chocolate chip cookie dough supplier Aspen Hills — a set of recalls that included Publix Premium Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough flavor — were expanded this week. The Chocolate Shoppe Ice Cream Company recalled more products with chocolate chip cookie dough pieces.

Avoiding The Chocolate Shoppe Ice Cream Company’s recalled products requires more than just not reaching for them in your grocer’s freezer. For one, they’re much less likely to be there than in a cone or cup from your local ice cream shop. Supplying such establishments comprises the bulk of the Wisconsin-based company’s business. That’s why 3-gallon cartons sent to individual retailers comprise the bulk of this recall expansion.

Those flavors would be Cookie Dough (code dated 10/15/17, 10/21/17, 11/1/17 or 11/8/17); Heaps of Love (10/20/17, 10/28/17 or 11/8/17); Peanut Butter Cookie Dough (10/9/17, 10/18/17 or 11/1/17); Sticks & Stones (10/26/17); and Baked Bear brand Cookie Dough (10/13/17, 10/15/17 or 10/21/17).

The company’s sole pint-sized recall, sold online and in a few grocery stores, is Chocolate Shoppe Ice Cream Co. Pints Cookie Dough (10/21/17).

Aspen Hills lost at least one customer, Blue Bell Ice Cream, over its listeria problem. Dr. Bob’s of Upland might find a shorter client list after this flurry of recalls.

This story was originally published November 12, 2016 at 11:12 AM with the headline "More listeria recalls for ice cream sold in Florida."