Deadly Listeria Outbreak Linked to Florida Ice Cream

If you are an ice cream fan who visited Sarasota lately, pay attention: Big Olaf Creamery is voluntarily recalling its ice cream after it was revealed as the source of a listeria outbreak.

Nearly two dozen people fell ill and one person died before the source of the listeria outbreak was identified, according to NBC News. Now, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, has pinpointed the source as Big Olaf Creamery brand ice cream, which is only sold in Florida.

Symptoms of listeria infection include fever, muscle aches, headaches, loss of balance and other symptoms, and can be far more serious for pregnant people.

The particularly bad news about listeria contamination is that, according to the CDC, people exposed to listeria may feel ill the same day— or symptoms may not show up anywhere from two weeks to 70 days later. So think back to that trip to Sarasota in May or June and try to recall whether you had any Big Olaf ice cream.

The CDC strongly recommends that anyone who has Big Olaf Creamery ice cream in their freezer should throw it out. Out of an abundance of caution—and because listeria is so deadly—they also encourage folks to clean any areas, containers, or serving utensils that may have touched Big Olaf ice cream products.