Institutional food service items being contaminated signal another risk to public health. OTOH hospitals are where the sick are housed and a likely place where one can contract illnesses.
Three of the five Kansas hospital patients who developed a foodborne illness linked to a few Blue Bell ice cream products have died prompting the first recall of the product in its 108-year history.
Five people developed listeriosis in Kansas after eating products from one production line at the Blue Bell creamery in Brenham, Texas, according to a statement from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration Friday.
Listeria bacteria was found in samples of Chocolate Chip Country Cookies, Great Divide Bars, Sour Pop Green Apple Bars, Cotton Candy Bars, Scoops, Vanilla Stick Slices, Almond Bars and No Sugar Added Moo Bars, the FDA said...
"The only time it can be contaminated is at the time of production," he said. That contamination has been traced to a machine that extrudes the ice cream into forms and onto cookies, and that machine remains off line, he said.
All products now on store and institution shelves are safe, Kruse said.
The CDC said contaminated ice cream products may still be in consumers’ freezers.
Listeriosis is a life-threatening infection caused by eating food contaminated with bacteria called Listeria monocytogenes, the CDC said. The disease primarily affects pregnant women and their newborns, older adults, and people with immune systems weakened by cancer, cancer treatments, or other serious conditions.