Blue Bell said to seek easing of federal listeria-linked restrictions
HOUSTON -- The Houston Chronicle is reporting Texas-based ice cream maker Blue Bell wants federal regulators to lighten costly precautions in place since a deadly listeria outbreak and allow the company to return to more normal procedures that are followed by its competitors.
The newspaper, reviewing documents obtained under a federal open records request, says Blue Bell has been working for months with a laboratory to develop tests to meet federal Food and Drug Administration requirements, prevent future outbreaks and help Blue Bell improve its economics.
An attorney for Blue Bell, Joseph Levitt, has written to the FDA saying it’s time for the company “to transition to the industry norm.”
The Chronicle says Blue Bell is currently required to destroy any product even suspected of having listeria, even if it ultimately proves not to, costing the company millions of dollars -- and Blue Bell wants to only have to destroy product that does test positive.
Blue Bell had to shut its flagship Brenham creamery for several months after last year’s recall was linked to 10 listeria cases in four states, including three deaths in Kansas.
