Ice Cream House Issues Recall Over Listeria Concerns

BROOKLYN, N.Y. — The Brooklyn-based Ice Cream House is voluntarily recalling all dairy ice cream products and non-dairy [Parve] frozen dessert products due to potential health risks in regards to Listeria monocytogenes.

 Listeria monocytogenes, is an organism that can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections in young children, frail or elderly people, and others with weakened immune systems. Although healthy individuals may suffer only short-term symptoms such as high fever, severe headache, stiffness, nausea, abdominal pain and diarrhea, Listeria infection can cause miscarriages and stillbirths among pregnant women.

The products being recalled were sold at the Ice Cream House in Brooklyn and through retail supermarkets in New York, New Jersey and Ohio.

This recall is related to the soft serve “on the go” cups that had been previously recalled by Real Kosher Ice Cream, Inc., where two cases of illness have been reported in New York and Pennsylvania. 

Both individuals were hospitalized but neither died. The company has ceased the production and distribution of the products as the investigation is ongoing. 

The recalled products include all Ice Cream House branded items currently on the market. This includes all dairy and non-dairy [Parve] products, like ice creams, cakes, logs and novelty items with the “Ice Cream House” logo.

Products are packed in clamshells or cake trays with plastic dome covers in a variety of sizes and styles and have an Ice Cream House label. Recalled products are not labeled with lot or date codes.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta, Georgia, the recalled Ice Cream House products include ice cream and sorbet, cakes, logs, pies and novelty items.

The recall also applies to “Soft Serve On The Go” ice cream cups, particularly those in the following flavors: vanilla, chocolate, caramel, Parve vanilla chocolate, peanut butter lite, Razzle, and sorbet strawberry mango.

Both brands of ice cream products are made at The Ice Cream House.

Officials at the CDC said if you have any of these products in your freezer, they should either be thrown out, as Listeria can survive at freezing temperatures, or returned to the place of purchase for a refund.

The CDC also recommends calling a health care provider right away if you have these symptoms after eating recalled ice cream and frozen dessert products:

Pregnant people usually have fever, muscle aches and tiredness.

People who are not pregnant usually have fever, muscle aches and tiredness. They may also get a headache, stiff neck, confusion, loss of balance or seizures.

For additional information call Ice Cream House at 845-4445-7644, Monday through Thursday during business hours, or email the company at [email protected].

Those with concerns specifically related to Soft Serve On the Go products should call 845-668-4346, Monday through Friday between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m., or email [email protected].

Dan can be reached at [email protected] and at https://twitter.com/DanMcCue