A listeria outbreak that caused one death and hospitalization of 22 people across 10 states has been linked to ice cream made in Florida, federal authorities say on Saturday.
Big Olaf Creamery, a family-owned company in Sarasota, Fla., exclusively sells ice cream in Florida, the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said. Of those hospitalized, 10 live out of state and have visited Florida in the last month, the CDC said.
The CDC says infections linked to the Big Olaf ice cream product have occurred in the past six months and affected people under the age of one to 92 years old. Five people fell ill during pregnancy, one had a miscarriage.
Of the 17 people interviewed by the CDC, 14 said they ate ice cream. Six people reported eating ice cream made by Big Olaf or eating ice cream at a location where the brand may have been supplied.
Big Olaf’s ice cream is made by Amish craftsmen at an ice cream parlor near Pinecraft, a neighborhood in Sarasota, according to the company’s website.
Big Olaf began contacting retail locations Friday to advise against selling the product, the CDC said, advising customers to remove any remaining product from the brand. A full recall has not been issued.
Representatives for Big Olaf Creamery were not immediately available for comment on Sunday.
Listeria bacteria causes a potentially fatal illness. About 1,600 people contract listeriosis in the United States each year from contaminated food.
The infection can cause temper tantrums, including fever, muscle aches, vomiting, and diarrhea, usually starting about two weeks after ingesting food containing the bacteria, although the timing of onset can be variable. different, the CDC said. Severe cases can take months to develop, the US Food and Drug Administration said.
According to the FDA, older adults, pregnant women and infants, people with compromised immune systems are associated with unpasteurized milk and cream, undercooked poultry, and raw vegetables.
According to the CDC, about one in five people infected with listeriosis die. This infection is especially dangerous during pregnancy, causing fetal loss in about 20% of cases.
The CDC says the number of people affected by Listeria outbreaks is higher than reported.
