A Listeria outbreak linked to Soft Serve on the Go ice cream has sickened at least two people, both of whom were hospitalized. The recalled ice cream cups were distributed to 19 states, Washington DC, and some international locations. But just where the products were made has been a mystery, until now. Real Kosher Ice Cream of Brooklyn issued a recall for the ice cream cups on August 9 and halted distribution of the products. A statement on the company’s website, says “Serve on the Go Cups are manufactured at their own dedicated facility.” But neither the recall nor the website statement indicates where that facility is located. It turns out, the mystery facility is located just blocks from Real Kosher Ice Cream. Soft Serve on the Go ice cream was made at Ice Cream House, LLC, located … [Read more...]
New York Officials Find Listeria in Cups From Real Kosher Facility
New York officials find Listeria in cups From Real Kosher Ice Cream's manufacturing facility, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Investigators from the New York Department of Agriculture and Markets visited the manufacturing location and collected the cups. The outbreak strain was found in five finished product samples of the Vanilla Chocolate variety, confirmed by whole genome sequencing. On August 10, 2023, the CDC said that the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture found the outbreak strain of Listeria monocytogenes in an unopened Soft Serve on the Go Vanilla Chocolate ice cream cup that a patient had in their freezer. That means that the products are linked to this outbreak by epidemiologic, traceback, and laboratory data. The outbreak case … [Read more...]
Soft Serve on the Go is Not the First Ice Cream Listeria Outbreak
Soft Serve on the Go is not the first Listeria monocytogenes outbreak linked to ice cream. There are four other outbreaks linked to that type of product within the last nine years. And some of them have been deadly. While ice cream is considered "low risk" for causing Listeria infections, illnesses have happened, and the outcomes can be serious. Ice cream is uniquely susceptible to Listeria contamination for two reasons. One, there is no kill step before the consumer eats it - the product is ready to eat. That's why there is zero tolerance for Listeria monocytogenes contamination in ready to eat foods. Second, Listeria monocytogenes colonizes easily in moist and cool locations, typical of most ice cream factories. And ice cream is often served in nursing homes, hospitals, and care … [Read more...]
Soft Serve on the Go Linked to Listeria Monocytogenes Outbreak
Soft Serve on the Go ice cream cups are linked to a Listeria monocytogenes outbreak that has sickened two people, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The ice cream cups and sorbet have been recalled by the company, Real Kosher Ice Cream. The patients live in Pennsylvania and New York. Patient isolates were collect in May and June 2023. Both people were hospitalized. The median age is 77, and one person is female and the other male. One patient bought Soft Serve on the Go ice cream cups from a grocery store. The other likely ate the same ice cream cup at a long term care facility. Investigators are using the PulseNet system to try to find others who may be part of this outbreak. Whole genome sequencing conducted on the patient isolates showed that … [Read more...]
Listeria Outbreak May Be Linked to Soft Serve on the Go Cups
A Listeria outbreak that may be linked to Soft Serve on the Go Cups produced by Real Kosher Ice Cream has sickened at least two people. The patients live in Pennsylvania and New York. The outbreak was announced in an FDA recall notice, and the FDA just posted an outbreak investigation notice. We don't know much about this outbreak, such as the patient ages or illness onset dates. The last patient sample collection date was June 29, 2023. We do know that six of the company's products have been recalled, and that the Pennsylvania Department of Health found Listeria monocytogenes in a sample of one of the ice cream products. Whole genome sequencing is being conducted to find out if this pathogen is the same strain of Listeria causing illnesses. The patient in Pennsylvania … [Read more...]
Soft Serve on the Go Cups Recalled For Possible Listeria; 2 Sick
Soft Serve on the Go Cups by Real Kosher Ice Cream are being recalled for possible Listeria monocytogenes contamination. Two people are sick; one person in New York and one in Pennsylvania. Both of these patients were hospitalized. The recalling firm is Real Kosher Ice Cream of Brooklyn, New York. The recalled soft serve ice cream and sorbet cups were sold at the retail level in these states: California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Illinois, Massachusetts, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, North Carolina, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Virginia, West Virginia, and in Washington DC. The ice cream was sold in canteens, convenience stores, and grocery stores. The recalled products are all Soft Serve on the Go brand packaged in clear … [Read more...]
Dove Song Dairy Raw Goat Milk Investigated in PA Campylobacter Outbreak
Dove Song Dairy raw goat milk is being investigated in a Pennsylvania Campylobacter outbreak, according to the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture and the Department of Health. Three people are sick with Campylobacter infections after allegedly drinking the milk. Officials are warning that consumers should immediately discard any raw goat milk they purchased from that dairy. All sell by dates of this milk are included in this recall. Raw milk samples tested by the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture were presumptively positive for Campylobacter. Dove Song Dairy raw goat milk was sold in plastic containers of different sizes, including gallon, half gallon, quart, and pint, at these locations: In Berks County, at Dove Song Dairy at 108 Siegfried Road in Bernville; Multiple … [Read more...]
A Joy Raw Milk Sold in Susquehanna, PA Recalled For Listeria
A Joy raw milk that was sold in Susquehanna county, Pennsylvania is being recalled for possible Listeria monocytogenes contamination. No illnesses have been reported to date in connection with the consumption of this unpasteurized milk. The recalling firm is A Joy Farm. Testing that followed a report of potential contamination confirmed the presence of the pathogen in half gallon and gallon plastic jugs of the milk. The milk was sold at the A Joy Farm that is located at 21 Lalor Lane in Little Meadows, Susquehanna County. The milk may be unlabeled and undated or it may have the A Joy label and A2 or "A2/A2" description. The producer refused to issue a recall, post a notice, or supply a customer list for direct notification. In Pennsylvania, raw milk producers must have a raw milk … [Read more...]
New Listeria Monocytogenes Outbreak With Unknown Source
A new Listeria monocytogenes outbreak with an unknown source has been announced by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). There are at least 11 people who live in 10 states who are ill. Ten of those patients have been hospitalized. A specific food item has not been identified in this outbreak, but the CDC is announcing it because they are concerned that several illnesses have been reported recently. The case count by state is: Arkansas (1), California (1), Colorado (1), Michigan (2), Missouri (1), New York (1), North Carolina (1), Pennsylvania (1), South Dakota (1), and Washington (1). This list is current as of February 14, 2023. The samples of ill persons, however, have been collected from July 3, 2018 to January 31, 2023, so this outbreak has probably been going … [Read more...]
Alleged Wendy’s E. coli Outbreak Was Number One in 2022
The alleged Wendy's E. coli outbreak was the number one outbreak of 2022, with at least 109 people sick in six states, and 52 patients hospitalized. The CDC says that they were unable to confirm a food source, but more than 80% of patients who were interviewed by public health officials said they ate at a Wendy's restaurant, choosing burgers and sandwiches made with romaine lettuce, before they got sick. The case count by state was: Indiana (11), Kentucky (2), Michigan (67), New York (1), Ohio (24), and Pennsylvania (4). The Wendy's restaurants where sick people ate were in Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, New Jersey, Ohio, and Pennsylvania. The patient age range was from 1 to 94 years. Illness onset dates ranged from July 26, 2022 to August 17, 2022. Fifty-two people were … [Read more...]
