Going out for ice cream is usually an enjoyable activity and also delicious! However, health authorities have issued an official warning after contaminated ice cream was sold.
Individuals became very sick after eating ice cream at several places in the state of Florida. This is part of a growing concern over contaminated food, with onions sold in over 10 states recently as well.
So far, two deaths have occurred as a result of the onion contamination; numerous individuals have had to be rushed to hospital in serious condition.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the ice cream contained listeria, which is a serious bacterial sickness that can spread through food.
Listeria causes serious illness and can induce death.
Where is the Outbreak?
The ice cream listeria outbreak is believed to have occurred in products sold by Big Olaf Creamery, which is only available in Florida. People who bought this at the store or ate at a Big Olaf location became very ill after consuming the ice cream.
The CDC is warning everyone not to consume ice cream or other products from Big Olaf’s at this time, until the outbreak is more fully investigated and everyone’s safety is assured.
Anyone who has this brand of ice cream is advised to immediately throw it away.
This comes as another listeria outbreak was found in onions sold in over ten states, mainly in Florida. Around 24 people have become seriously ill from the onions; a mother and her unborn baby also died.
The listeria cases from onions have mainly shown up in Florida, but have also occurred in Colorado, Kansas, Georgia, Illinois, Massachusetts, New York, Minnesota, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania.
People buying onions, getting extremely sick, and being rushed to hospitals first started happening in January, but cases have been continuing up until last month.
LISTERIA OUTBREAK UPDATE: Do not eat Big Olaf Creamery ice cream. If you have Big Olaf Creamery brand ice cream at home, throw away any remaining product. This ice cream is only sold in Florida. This investigation is ongoing.
For the latest info: https://t.co/0aGAF3ZL4j pic.twitter.com/5w476Yk5yU
— CDC (@CDCgov) July 2, 2022
Big Olaf Responds
According to Big Olaf, the “speculation” that their ice cream is to blame for listeria illnesses is not proven; they will wait for any “confirmation” that it’s true.
Many of those who got listeria in Florida recently said they ate Big Olaf’s prior to feeling ill, but the chain says this proves “nothing.”
Listeria is an extremely serious type of food poisoning that can kill you; so the chain should be taking this a lot more seriously.
However, they are correct that firm proof has not been found. Many times listeria symptoms of fever, body pain, vomiting, and flu-like symptoms start right away, but they can take up to a month to show up, so there isn’t always a direct link.
Nonetheless, the symptoms can come up right away, which is why those who ate Olaf’s and then started feeling sick form a clear pattern of the ice cream being to blame.
"CDC investigates Big Olaf Creamery over listeria outbreak in Florida that killed one, saw mother-to-be lose her baby and left 22 hospitalized "
I think that should read "…outbreak in Fla that killed TWO…"— Joemantler (@Joemantler) July 6, 2022
