Blue Bell is voluntarily recalling all of its products currently on the market made at all of its facilities including ice cream, frozen yogurt, sherbet and frozen snacks because they have the potential to be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes. Photo: Provided

The RTW group of companies (Road Town Wholesale Trading Ltd, Rite Way Food Markets, Fine Foods, Harbour Market, and Cash & Carry) is removing all Blue Bell products from stores and asking its customers to remove them from their freezers following a product recall by its manufacturer, Blue Bell. Photo: Internet Source

Listeria monocytogenes is a bacterium commonly found in soil, water, sewage, and decaying plant material. Although easily killed by heat; refrigeration does not prevent the growth of this organism. In fact, L. monocytogenes is unique among foodborne pathogens in that it not only survives, but can grow at refrigeration temperatures! Foods most commonly associated with this illness are refrigerated foods that are not reheated before consumption. Photo: pubs.ext.vt.edu

It also said via a press release today April 22, 2015 that “proof of purchase is not required”.

“Following the announcement yesterday  (April 21) of a recall of all Blue Bell products including ice cream, frozen yogurt, sherbet and frozen snacks, the RTW group of companies (Roadtown Wholesale Trading Ltd, Rite Way Food Markets, Fine Foods, Harbour Market, and Cash & Carry) is implementing a full return and refund policy,” the press release stated.

RTW is urging all its customers to check their freezers for all Blue Bell products and to either dispose of them or return them to a Rite Way store for a refund.

RTW has recalled all Blue Bell products and removed it from its shelves because that may contain the harmful bacterium known as Listeria monocytogenes.

See previous article published April 21, 2015

Blue Bell products suspected of containing harmful bacterium

- RTW removing Blue Bell products from stores; recalling products from customers

The RTW group of companies (Road Town Wholesale Trading Ltd, Rite Way Food Markets, Fine Foods, Harbour Market, and Cash & Carry) is removing all Blue Bell products from stores and asking its customers to remove them from their freezers following a product recall by its manufacturer, Blue Bell.

According to a press release issued by Dawn Callwood, RTW Marketing Manager, last night (April 20, 2015), the RTW group of companies received a recall notification from BlueBell Ice Cream of Brenham, Texas (Blue Bell).

“Blue Bell is voluntarily recalling all of its products currently on the market made at all of its facilities including ice cream, frozen yogurt, sherbet and frozen snacks because they have the potential to be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes.”

The press release said, accordingly RTW is removing all Blue Bell products from its shelves, and recalling all Blue Bell products from its customers.

“Return and refund procedures will be announced shortly.”

RTW is urging all its customers to check their freezers for all Blue Bell products.

According to a press release issued by Blue Bell, Listeria monocytogenes is an organism which 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 headaches, stiffness, nausea, abdominal pain and diarrhoea, Listeria infection can cause miscarriages and stillbirths among pregnant women.

An employee at RTW further confirmed the recall but was not in a position to say if customers have actually returned any of the products in question and whether they were refunded.

About Listeria monocytogenes

According to Virgin Islands News Online's research, Listeria monocytogenes is a bacterium commonly found in soil, water, sewage, and decaying plant material. Although easily killed by heat; refrigeration does not prevent the growth of this organism. In fact, L. monocytogenes is unique among foodborne pathogens in that it not only survives, but can grow at refrigeration temperatures.

Foods most commonly associated with this illness are refrigerated foods that are not reheated before consumption.

The most common symptoms of listeriosis include a mild flu-like illness with persistent fever, muscle aches, nausea or diarrhea. If the infection progresses to the nervous system, headache, confusion, loss of balance, and convulsions may occur. Infection during pregnancy may lead to miscarriage, stillbirth, early delivery, or infection of the fetus. 

According to the Food Science and Technology Department of Virginia Tech, USA, in 2002 a multi-state outbreak of 46 culture-confirmed cases, seven deaths, and three stillbirths or miscarriages in eight states was linked to eating sliceable turkey deli meat containing Listeria monocytogenes

Kraft products recall

Just over a month ago, local stores were asked to remove boxes of Kraft Macaroni and Cheese suspected to contain metal.

This is in reaction to Kraft Foods Group Incorporated recalling 242,000 cases of Kraft Macaroni and Cheese because some of the boxes may contain metal

A senior person at Road Town Wholesale Trading Limited (RTW), the official distributors of Kraft Foods Group Inc in the Virgin Islands, had confirmed to Virgin Islands News Online that they are aware of the recall and have since asked their customers to take the suspected affected products off their shelves.

Kraft, last year, recalled 1.2 million cases of cottage cheese products because they had been stored improperly and 260 cases of Velveeta cheese that did not have enough preservatives. The company also recalled 7,700 cases of Kraft American Singles in August because of a storage issue, Reuters had reported.

See related article:

http://www.virginislandsnewsonline.com/en/news/vi-stores-asked-to-remove-mac-cheese-suspected-of-containing-metal