Two outbreaks of listeria contamination this spring rocked the dairy industry.
First, Blue Bell Creameries discovered Listeria monocytogenes in Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough ice cream half-gallons produced on March 17 and March 27, and the company voluntarily recalled all ice cream, frozen yogurt, sherbet and frozen snacks across 23 states and internationally. In May, the Brenham, Texas-based company said it was laying off 1,450 full-time and part-time workers and furloughing 1,400 as a result of shutting down its production facilities in Texas, Alabama and Oklahoma. (Read the FDA’s inspection reports on dairyfoods.com.)