Ice Pops Recalled From 15 States For Listeria Risk

The Ziegenfelder Company of Wheeling, West Virginia, is issuing a voluntary recall of approximately 3,000 cases of ice pops according to a notice issued by the Food and Drug Administration on April 23. The recalled products, which include Budget $aver Cherry Pineapple Monster Pops and Sugar Free Twin Pops, have the potential of contamination with Listeria monocytogenes, a bacteria known to cause food poisoning.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, approximately 1,600 people are infected with listeria each year. Around 260 die from the infection.

For otherwise healthy individuals, listeria can cause short-term symptoms such as fever, headache, stiffness, nausea, abdominal pain, and diarrhea according to the FDA. For young children, frail or elderly people, and others with weakened immune systems, however, infection with listeria can be serious and even fatal.

A routine inspection of Ziegenfelder's Denver production plant discovered listeria on the premises. As a precautionary response, the company has closed the facility to investigate.

The ice pops being recalled were sold in packages of 12 and distributed in Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Maine, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, New Mexico, New York, Ohio, Oklahoma, Texas, Utah, Washington, and Wyoming. All affected products were delivered from April 5 through April 19.

Consumers should check for Cherry Pineapple Monster Pops with UPC code 0-74534-84200-9 and lot codes D09418A through D10018B. Sugar Free Pops affected by the recall carry the UPC code 0-74534-75642-9 and have lot codes D09318A through D10018B.

"Consumers who have purchased the affected ice pops are urged to return them to the place of purchase for a full refund," says the FDA. "Consumers with questions may contact the company at 1-888-683-0379, Mon-Fri 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. EST."

As of April 25, no illnesses have been reported.

The Daily Meal has contacted the Ziegenfelder Company for comment.

While it may seem like listeria would die in the freezer, the bacteria actually thrives in colder temperatures; freezing the ice pops does not render them safe. Be careful when purchasing and storing products, especially if they are among these foods most likely to give you food poisoning.