Finding out one of your favorite snacks has been recalled is never fun. Nestlé USA Inc. announced this week that one of its most popular products, Drumstick ice cream cones, were recalled after they were potentially exposed to Listeria monocytogenes in a production plant in Bakersfield, California. Many people undoubtedly have Drumsticks in their freezers at home and must be wondering how to tell if your Nestlé ice cream was recalled. The silver lining is that it is fairly easy to identify if the Drumsticks in your possession were affected by the recall.
Consumers that have recently purchased Drumstick ice cream cones from Nestlé can identify if their product is part of the recall by identification codes on the back of the package. “The products impacted by the voluntary recall were put into distribution inadvertently,” Nestlé wrote, according to a statement released on the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) website. “No illnesses have been reported to date; the company is initiating this recall as a precautionary action to avoid any potential for customer illness.”
To adhere to Nestle’s cautionary tactics, customers should look at their product’s UPS code, best before date, and production code. Products that have been affected by the recall can be returned to the place of purchase or consumers can contact Nestle Consumer Services if they wish to receive a replacement.
A full chart of exactly which codes are being recalled was also released by the FDA this week:
While there have been no recorded cases of illnesses related to the recall, it’s still important to stay vigilant. Listeria monocytogenes can potentially cause fatal infections in children, elderly people, and those with weakened immune systems. Listeria infections can also cause miscarriages and stillbirths in pregnant women. Other symptoms of Listeria infection — or Listeriosis — include fever, diarrhea, and nausea. If you bought a Nestlé USA Inc. product recently, definitely make sure you check the identification codes ASAP.
If you have happened to have actually eaten the recalled Nestlé ice cream, watch out for any of the symptoms associated with Listeriosis. Chances are it might be a regular, run of the mill stomach bug, but it’s always better to be safe than sorry. Seek medical attention immediately if you’re worried you might have been exposed to Listeria. According to Food Safety News, it can take up to 70 days for symptoms to develop after exposure, so keep an eye out for yourself and your children as well, if you believe they may have eaten or been exposed to a potentially contaminated Drumstick cone.
