Outbreak Investigation of Listeria: Ice Cream (August 2023)
Do not eat, sell, or serve recalled Soft Serve On The Go ice cream cups. FDA’s outbreak investigation is ongoing.
Product
- Real Kosher Ice Cream has voluntarily recalled all flavors of Soft Serve On The Go 8-oz ice cream cups
- Soft Serve On The Go Vanilla Chocolate
- Soft Serve On The Go Razzle
- Soft Serve On The Go Caramel
- Soft Serve On The Go Parve Vanilla Chocolate
- Soft Serve On The Go Sorbet Strawberry Mango
- Soft Serve On The Go Lite Peanut Butter
FDA’s investigation is ongoing. Products may be added to this advisory. Additional recall information is available below.
Stores Affected
- Multiple retailers in CA, CO, CT, DC, DE, FL, IL, MA, MD, MI, MN, NC, NH, NJ, NY, OH, OR, PA, VA, WV.
Symptoms of Listeriosis (Listeria Infection)
Illness can occur within few hours or as long as two to three days after eating contaminated food. More severe forms of listeriosis may take anywhere from three days to three months to develop. Mild symptoms may include a fever, muscle aches, nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea. If the more severe form of listeriosis develops, symptoms may include headache, stiff neck, confusion, loss of balance, and convulsions.
Status
Ongoing
Recommendation
- Consumers, restaurants, and retailers should not eat, sell, or serve recalled Soft Serve On The Go ice cream and should throw the recalled product away or return to place of purchase for a full refund. This recall includes all flavors of Soft Serve On The Go 8-oz cups.
- Ice cream has a long shelf life and may still be in freezers. Consumers, restaurants, and retailers should check their freezers and throw away recalled ice cream products or return to place of purchase for a full refund.
- Consumers, restaurants, and retailers who purchased or received any recalled ice cream products should follow FDA’s safe handling and cleaning advice and use extra vigilance in cleaning and sanitizing any surfaces and containers that may have come in contact with these products to reduce the risk of cross-contamination. Listeria can survive temperatures at or below freezing and can easily spread to other foods and surfaces.
Recommendation for At-Risk Groups:
- Listeria is most likely to sicken pregnant people and newborns, adults aged 65 or older, and people with weakened immune systems. Other people can be infected with Listeria, but they rarely become seriously ill.
- Pregnant people typically experience only fever, fatigue, and muscle aches. However, Listeria infection during pregnancy can lead to miscarriage, stillbirth, premature delivery, or life-threatening infection of the newborn.
- Call your healthcare provider right away if you have symptoms of a Listeria infection.
Current Update
August 10, 2023
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), in collaboration with state and local partners, are investigating an outbreak of Listeria monocytogenes infections potentially linked to Soft Serve On The Go ice cream cups produced by Real Kosher Ice Cream of Brooklyn, NY.
Based on epidemiological data provided by CDC, both sick people reported eating Soft Serve On The Go vanilla chocolate ice cream before getting sick. The Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture collected an unopened sample of Soft Serve On The Go from an ill person’s home. This sample was reported as positive for Listeria monocytogenes. Whole Genome Sequencing (WGS) analysis is still pending to determine whether this is the same strain of Listeria causing illness in this outbreak.
In response to these findings, Real Kosher Ice Cream has been cooperating with the FDA investigation and voluntarily recalled all flavors of Soft Serve On The Go 8-oz cups. This product was distributed to retailers in CA, CO, CT, DC, DE, FL, IL, MA, MD, MI, MN, NC, NH, NJ, NY, OH, OR, PA, VA, WV. Real Kosher Ice Cream has temporarily stopped production of these products.
FDA’s investigation is ongoing. Updates to this advisory will be provided as they become available.
Case Count Map Provided by CDC
Map of U.S. Distribution of Recalled Soft Serve On The Go Ice Cream Cups
Case Counts
Total Illnesses: 2
Hospitalizations: 2
Deaths: 0
Last Patient Sample Collection Date: June 29, 2023
States with Cases: PA, NY
U.S. Product Distribution: CA, CO, CT, DC, DE, FL, IL, MA, MD, MI, MN, NC, NH, NJ, NY, OH, OR, PA, VA, WV
International Distribution for Recalled Products
The recall impacts markets outside of the U.S.
Customer information provided by Real Kosher Ice Cream shows that it was distributed to the following countries and locations: Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Mexico, and The United Kingdom.
For additional information, international officials and customers can visit the company’s recall page.
Product Images
Recalled Products
In response to these findings, Real Kosher Ice Cream has voluntarily recalled all flavors of Soft Serve On The Go 8-oz cups.
- Soft Serve On The Go Vanilla Chocolate
- Soft Serve On The Go Razzle
- Soft Serve On The Go Caramel
- Soft Serve On The Go Parve Vanilla Chocolate
- Soft Serve On The Go Sorbet Strawberry Mango
- Soft Serve On The Go Lite Peanut Butter
Throw the product away or return to place of purchase for a full refund. Consumers with questions may contact Real Kosher Ice Cream’s Soft Serve On The Go team at: 845-668-4346 or info@softserveonthego.com. Monday through Friday 9am to 5 pm ET.
Who to Contact
Consumers who have symptoms should contact their health care provider to report their symptoms and receive care.
To report a complaint or adverse event (illness or serious allergic reaction), you can
- Call an FDA Consumer Complaint Coordinator if you wish to speak directly to a person about your problem.
- Complete an electronic Voluntary MedWatch form online.
- Complete a paper Voluntary MedWatch form that can be mailed to FDA.
