Genetic tests show that the Listeria strain found in Big Olaf ice cream and at the company’s manufacturing plant in Sarasota, Fl matches the strain cultured from 25 outbreak patients, according to the latest update from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The finding establishes a clear link between Big Olaf ice cream and the Listeria Outbreak which now includes 25 illnesses, one death, and one miscarriage.
Pregnant women are more likely than the general population to contact Listeria infections and can suffer miscarriage or stillbirth if they do. In this outbreak, five of the patients were pregnant when they developed listeriosis. Of the 24 patients for whom information was available, all of them were so sick they needed to be hospitalized.
Big Olaf Listeria Outbreak
The illnesses in this outbreak have been reported over an 18-month period among people rangin in age from less than 1 year old to 92 years old. Twenty-three of the patients either live in or visited Florida prior to developing symptoms of listeriosis. Except for one Ohio location, Big Olaf ice cream is only sold in Florida.
The number of cases reported from each state is: Colorado (1), Florida (12), Georgia (1), Illinois (1), Kansas (1), Massachusetts (2), Minnesota (1), Nebraska (1), New Jersey (1), New York (2) and Pennsylvania (1).
Eighteen of the 21 patients health officials have interviewed said they ate ice cream in the month before they got sick. And 10 reported eating Big Olaf Creamery brand ice cream or eating ice cream at locations that might have been supplied by Big Olaf Creamery.
Big Olaf Recall
On July 13, Big Olaf issued a recall for all of its ice cream. The recalled ice cream was sold to consumers in plastic pint and half-gallon containers; ice cream shops served the ice cream from 2.5-gallon tubs.
Big Olaf was served at shops in St. Armands, Pinecraft, Siesta Key, Lakewood Ranch, Bee Ridge Plaza, Venice, Clearwater Beach, Treasure Island, and St. Pete Beach, FL.
Experienced Listeria Lawyers
If you developed a Listeria infection after eating Big Olaf ice cream and would like to discuss your legal options, please contact our Listeria lawyers. Our Food Safety Team has more experience handling Listeria lawsuits than any other law firm in the country securing some of the largest Listeria settlements in U.S. history including a recent award of $6.4 million.
You can reach us by calling 1-888-377-8900, sending a text to 612-261-0856, or completing the form below. There is no obligation and we don’t get paid unless we win.