Blue Bell Creameries has provided the U.S. Food and Drug Administration a list of corrective actions underway in response to the agency’s inspection reports of the Brenham, Texas-based company’s ice cream production facilities in Brenham; Broken Arrow, Okla.; Sylacauga, Ala.
Blue Bell is taking the FDA observations “very seriously,” according to president and CEO Paul Kruse, in a company news release.
The ice cream maker said it is reviewing all aspects of operations at the three facilities. Because listeria is ubiquitous in the environment, Blue Bell said it has adopted a broadly focused remediation plan aimed at confronting any possible sources of contamination.
This process has led Blue Bell to “reassess everything” about its operations and identify a number of enhancements that will be made, including updated environmental and product testing procedures, according to the company.
“We hope our efforts demonstrate the seriousness with which we are taking this situation, as well as our commitment to making sure we get this right,” Kruse said.
When Blue Bell, the FDA and the applicable state regulators agree that the company is ready to reintroduce products into commerce, the company said to plan to resume production with a phased-in selection of flavors and sizes, expanding only after its revised programs have demonstrated they are capable of ensuring product safety.