Jeni's Reports Listeria Found In More Pints Of Ice Cream

Columbus-based Jeni's Splendid Ice Creams says listeria has been found in other pints and in its local production facility. Listeria had been found in a pint in Nebraska, leading the company on Thursday to recall its products and close its stores in six states. In a statement Friday, Jeni's CEO John Lowe says listeria was present in other pints in the same batch, and there are indications listeria will be confirmed in another flavor from a different batch. Lowe says the company has begun an extensive cleaning process to rid the Columbus production facility of listeria found in swabs taken at the facility. Ohio food safety testers are adding ice cream to the list of items they pull from store shelves to check for contamination. Ohio Department of Agriculture public information officer Ashley McDonald says its food safety division tests samples from store shelves each week and can add foods to that rotation when problems emerge. The testing wouldn't be limited to the two brands issuing recalls. Jeni's says no illnesses have been linked to its recall. Ice cream from Blue Bell Creameries of Texas is linked to 10 illnesses, including three deaths.