Blue Bell Creameries Target Of Listeria Controversies

The U.S. Department of Justice is questioning Blue Bell Creameries over listeria contamination issues. According to Entrepreneur.com and Wall Street Journal, three deaths were associated with the outbreak. Government authorities are trying to investigate the causes of such outbreak.

In April, Blue Bell voluntarily subjected itself for investigation. On the same month, death cases in association with ice cream's listeria were reported. Blue Bell Creameries closed down operations in April in Brenham, Texas over listeria contamination issues. The company began operating its said plant operations in Texas in November, though.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention at the time listeria outbreak from Blue Bell plants in Texas and Oklahoma occurred, as reported by The New York Times.

The CDC said:

"This is a complex and ongoing multistate outbreak of listeriosis occurring over an extended period."

Blue Bell CEO, Paul Kruse issued statements, saying:

"We're committed to doing the 100 percent right thing, and the best way to do that is to take all of our products off the market until we can be confident that they are all safe. At this point, we cannot say with certainty how listeria was introduced to our facilities."

CNN.com reported that listeria outbreak in Blue Bell started in 2010, according to CDC. CNN reported that : "After weeks of gradual recalls, the company recalled all its ice cream, frozen yogurt, sherbet and other frozen treats sold in 23 states because they could be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes. The bacteria can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections in young children, the elderly and others with weak immune systems."

The CDC made the connections of the January 2010 outbreak to the DNA of the 2015 outbreak. CNN further reported that according to the CDC: "Three people in Kansas have died in the past year and 10 people in four states have fallen ill from the bacteria believed to have come from Blue Bell products."

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