1 Hospitalized In PA After Listeria Outbreak Linked To Ice Cream

PENNSYLVANIA — Several varieties of a packaged soft-serve ice cream product sold in 19 states and the District of Columbia, including Pennsylvania, have been recalled because they may be contaminated with listeria, the Food and Drug Administration said in a notice Wednesday.

Two illnesses, both requiring hospitalization, have been reported in New York and Pennsylvania among people who reported eating Soft Serve On The Go Cups, the FDA said. No deaths have been reported.

The ice cream and sorbet, sold at convenience stores, canteens and similar outlets, is packaged in an 8-ounce, cone-shaped clear plastic cup with a spoon attached to the cover. All flavors of the ice cream have been recalled: Vanilla Chocolate, Razzle, Caramel, Parve Vanilla Chocolate, Sorbet Strawberry Mango, and Lite Peanut Butter.

All products produced up to Aug. 4, 2023 are being recalled, the FDA said.

"The UPC is the only identifiable code on the package," the FDA said. "It does not have any LOT number or best by date."

A full list of affected products and UPC codes, as well as photos, can be found on the FDA website.

Listeria can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections in young children, frail or elderly individuals, and others with weakened immune systems. Healthy individuals may suffer only short-term symptoms, such as high fever, severe headache, stiffness, nausea, abdominal pain and diarrhea. Infections have also been linked to miscarriages and stillbirths among pregnant women.

The Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture tested samples of the product after a person who had eaten an ice cream cup became ill. Real Kosher Ice Cream, the Brooklyn, New York, manufacturer of the Soft Serve On The Go brand, has stopped manufacturing the products while the FDA investigates the problem, according to the FDA notice.

Consumers with any uneaten servings should dispose of it or return to the store where they bought it for a full refund. Questions may be directed to 845-668-4346 from 9 a.m.-5 p.m. EDT, Monday through Friday, or by email at info@softserveonthego.com.