COLUMBUS, Ohio – Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams shut down its scoop shops yesterday and is recalling products because of a possible listeria contamination.
READ MORE: In the Columbus Dispatch
“We received the call that no ice cream maker, chef, or entrepreneur wants,” Jeni Britton Bauer, Jeni’s founder, said in a statement posted to the company’s website Thursday afternoon. “A randomly selected pint of ours tested positive for the presence of Listeria monocytogenes. Out of an abundance of caution, we made the swift decision to cease all ice cream production and sales until we can get to the very root of the problem.”
According to a report in the Columbus Dispatch, a sign hung on the cooler above a tub of Toasted Brioche with Butter & Jam at the original North Market scoop shop read, “Unfortunately, we’re going to be closed for a few days. More information coming soon. We’ll be back at it making the world’s best ice cream as soon as we possibly can.”
The same sign hung in scoop shops around town. Likewise, all of the products in Jeni’s popular online store are “temporarily unavailable.”
It is the first time any of the company’s products have been recalled.
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The recall includes all products bearing the Jeni’s name in retail outlets, grocery stores, scoop shops and food service accounts, according to the company. The Jeni’s machines at Port Columbus airport have been emptied and disabled.
The contaminated ice cream was from the Whole Foods in Lincoln, Neb., according to the Nebraska Department of Agriculture, which detected listeria in a random sample during a routine inspection.
“We have decided to recall everything currently on retailer shelves, and we are closing our scoop shops until we are 100% confident every item we sell is safe,” said John Lowe, Jeni’s chief executive office, in a statement released by the company.
It comes days after Texas-based Blue Bell Creameries recalled its products after being linked to listeria cases, including three deaths.
It wasn’t immediately clear if the recalls are connected. Listeria isn’t commonly found in ice cream, since the bacteria can’t grow at freezing temperatures.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said there are no known illnesses linked to Jeni’s products.
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Jeni’s says its 21 scoop shops will be closed until it ensures product safety. Half its shops are in Columbus. Others are listed in Atlanta; Chicago; Charleston, South Carolina; Cleveland; Los Angeles; and Nashville, Tennessee.
Customers who have purchased any of the products are urged to dispose of them or return them to the store where they were purchased for an exchange or full refund, and consult with their physician regarding any medical questions.
Customers may also contact Jeni’s at 614-360-3905 between the hours of 9:00 a.m. and 10:00 p.m. Friday, from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Saturday and Sunday and Monday through Friday thereafter.
Jeni’s can also be contacted by email at recall@jenis.com, and at jenis.com/recall.