Listeria Update: CDC Warns Against Eating Specific Ice Cream Brand

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) updated their warning regarding a multistate outbreak of listeria infections linked to the ice cream brand Big Olaf Creamery.

This ice cream is sold in Florida in Big Olaf Creamery stores as well as in stores with different company names according to the federal agency. For people visiting stores and getting ice cream they should inquire if the ice cream is made by Big Olaf Creamery.

Although public health officials have said there have not been any increases in the number of cases or deaths since the latest report nearly 2 weeks ago, they are concerned people may also have these ice cream products at home. People who have this ice cream brand should throw these products out, explained the CDC.

The agency reported that 23 people have been affected by the outbreak with 22 people being hospitalized and 1 death reported in Illinois.

According to the CDC, investigators were using the agency’s PulseNet system to identify illnesses that may be part of this outbreak. This CDC system manages a national database of DNA fingerprints of bacteria that cause foodborne illnesses. DNA fingerprinting is performed on bacteria using a method called whole genome sequencing (WGS).¹

WGS has shown that bacteria from affected people’s samples are closely related genetically. This means that people in this outbreak likely got sick from the same food.¹

Reference

Listeria (Listeriosis). Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Reviewed June 30, 2022. Accessed July 1, 2022 https://www.cdc.gov/listeria/outbreaks/monocytogenes-06-22/details.html