Blue Bell recalls ice cream over Listeria concerns

HOUSTON -- Blue Bell Ice Cream has issued a voluntary recall for its ice cream containing chocolate chip cookie dough pieces due to the potential for Listeria.

Blue Bell says the products were produced in its Sylacauga, Alabama plant and made with a chocolate chip cookie dough ingredient supplied by Aspen Hills, Inc.

The recall covers the Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough, both pint and half-gallon size, and Two Step products in the half-gallon size.

In a press release, Blue Bell says they identified the "potential problem" through testing and notified Aspen Hills.

"Aspen Hills then issued a voluntary recall of the products supplied to Blue Bell. Although our products in the marketplace have passed our test and hold program, which requires that finished product samples test negative for Listeria monocytogenes, Blue Bell is initiating this recall out of an abundance of caution," the company said in a release.

Blue Bell released the following statement to Eyewitness News:

"This voluntary recall does not affect our production facilities. The ingredient was produced and supplied to us from a third-party supplier, Aspen Hills. Although our products in the marketplace have passed our test and hold program, which requires that finished product samples test negative for listeria monocytogenes, Blue Bell is initiating this recall out of an abundance of caution."

The ice cream produced with the chocolate chip cookie dough pieces were distributed in the following ten states: Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Virginia.

Consumers should not eat the recalled products and are encouraged to return them to the place of purchase for a full refund.

No illnesses have been reported to date.