Recall of Ice Cream in Nearly 20 States Due to Listeria Contamination

From the desk of Mrs. Fran, AmeriBest Home Care Clinical Educator

Ice Cream Is Recalled in Nearly 20 States for Listeria Contamination

A company based out of New York has begun recalling soft serve ice cream cups in 19 states and the District of Columbia, a move prompted by possible Listeria contamination.  

Real Kosher Ice Cream, based in New York, announced the recall in a Wednesday alert on the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) website, saying it affected all flavor options of its Soft Serve On The Go cups from Aug. 4 or earlier. The product has six different flavors that come in 8-ounce packages, according to the alert. 

The recall had been preceded by two people, one in New York and one in Pennsylvania, suffering illness that led to hospitalization, the alert said. One person reported falling ill after eating a Soft Serve On The Go cup, a sample from which returned a positive test result for Listeria monocytogenes bacteria to the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture.

Eating food that contains Listeria monocytogenes bacteria can lead to listeriosis, a type of infection that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said causes roughly 260 deaths annually. Such infections are “most likely to sicken pregnant women and their newborns, adults aged 65 and older, and people with weakened immune systems,” per the health agency. 

No one has died in connection to the recalled ice cream products as of Wednesday, according to the alert. 

Customers may have purchased the recalled products at canteens, grocery stores or convenience stores in California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Illinois, Massachusetts, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, North Carolina, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Virginia, West Virginia and the nation’s capital. 

In the FDA alert, it warned against eating the recalled product. Instead, it recommended tossing the Soft Serve On The Go cups in the trash or returning them to where they were sold. 

Real Kosher Ice Cream said on its website that it chose to recall the Soft Serve On The Go cups because “our highest priority is the safety and well-being of our customers.” 

“Soft Serve on the Go Cups are manufactured at their own dedicated facility,” the company said. “No other products are affected by this recall.”

The brakes have been pumped on further production and distribution of the soft serve ice cream cups amid a probe into the matter by both the FDA and Real Kosher Ice Cream, according to the recall alert. 

‘Mental Health at Work’ by Nurse Fran  

Guidelines on Mental Health at Work

An estimated 15% of working-age adults have a mental disorder at any point in time.  Depression and anxiety are estimated to cost the global economy US $1 trillion each year, driven predominantly by lost productivity. People living with severe mental health conditions are largely excluded from work despite participation in economic activities being important for recovery. 

The WHO guidelines on mental health at work provide evidence-based recommendations to promote mental health conditions and enable people living with mental health conditions to participate and thrive in work. The recommendations cover organizational interventions, manager training and worker training, individual interventions, return to work, and gaining employment. The guidelines on mental health at work aim to improve the implementation of evidence-based interventions for mental health at work. 

Key facts 

  • Decent work is good for mental health.
  • Poor working environments – including discrimination and inequality, excessive workloads, low job control and job insecurity – pose a risk to mental health.   


Globally, an estimated 12 billion working days are lost every year to depression and anxiety at a cost of US$ 1 trillion per year in lost productivity.

Work Can Protect Mental Health 

Almost 60% of the world’s population is in work (1). All workers have the right to a safe and healthy environment at work. Decent work supports good mental health by providing: 

  • a livelihood;
  • a sense of confidence, purpose, and achievement;
  • an opportunity for positive relationships and inclusion in a community; and
  • a platform for structured routines, among many other benefits.

Safe and healthy working environments are not only a fundamental right but are also more likely to minimize tension and conflicts at work and improve staff retention, work performance and productivity. Conversely, a lack of adequate structures and support at work, especially for those living with mental health conditions, can affect a person’s ability to enjoy their work and do their job well; it can undermine people’s attendance at work and even stop people getting a job in the first place.

Hopefully, this information has been helpful!

Please let us know in the comments.

3 People Have Died After Infection With Rare Flesh-Eating Bacteria in Connecticut and New York

At least three people have died in Connecticut and New York after contracting a rare flesh-eating bacteria that can be found in warm, brackish waters or raw shellfish, officials confirmed Wednesday. 

Two people in Connecticut became infected with Vibrio vulnificus and died after swimming in two separate locations on Long Island Sound, according to Christopher Boyle, director of communications for the state’s Department of Public Health. 

According to the Department of Public Health, a third person was infected in July after eating raw oysters from an out-of-state establishment. According to the department, all three were between 60 and 80 years old. 

What to Know About Flesh-Eating Bacteria Vibrio Vulnificus, and How to Avoid It

The bacteria has also been detected in an individual who died in Long Island, Gov. Kathy Hochul announced Wednesday. Officials are still investigating the death in Suffolk County to determine whether the bacteria was encountered in New York waters or elsewhere, according to the news release. 

Vibrio vulnificus comes from the same family as the bacteria that causes cholera. 

A mild case of the bacterial infection vibriosis can cause skin wounds, blisters, abscesses and ulcers. It typically includes chills, fever, diarrhea, stomach pain and possibly vomiting. In more severe cases, people can develop septicemia. This is more common for those with underlying health conditions, particularly liver disease, cancer, diabetes, HIV or other diseases that suppress the immune system. 

Anyone can get vibriosis, but people with an open wound, such as a cut or scrape, a recent piercing or a new tattoo, should avoid exposing skin to warm seawater in coastal environments or cover the area with a waterproof bandage, the news release says. 

Doctors say it is important to seek treatment quickly if you develop a skin infection after possible exposure to the bacteria. 

Vibrio vulnificus causes an estimated 80,000 illnesses and 100 deaths in the United States every year, according to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. 

Officials Advising People to Be Cautious

Officials from Connecticut and New York are advising people to take precautions before consuming raw oysters or being exposed to salty or brackish water.

“People should consider the potential risk of consuming raw oysters and exposure to salt or brackish water and take appropriate precautions,” Dr. Manisha Juthani, commissioner of the Connecticut Department of Public Health, said in a news release on July 28. “Particularly during the hottest months of the summer, bacteria are more likely to overgrow and contaminate raw shellfish.” 

New York’s Governor Echoed Those Sentiments Wednesday

Dangerous flesh-eating bacterial infections increased in Florida after Hurricane Ian 

“While rare, the vibrio bacteria has unfortunately made it to this region and can be extraordinarily dangerous,” Hochul said. “As we investigate further, it is critical that all New Yorkers stay vigilant and take responsible precautions to keep themselves and their loved ones safe, including protecting open wounds from seawater and for those with compromised immune systems, avoiding raw or undercooked shellfish which may carry the bacteria.” 

Connecticut routinely monitors oyster harvest areas statewide for vibrio levels in the summer, and since 2014, the state has added to its requirements for oyster harvesting. 

In part, oyster harvesters are required to shade oysters while on a vessel and in high-risk areas, and harvested oysters must be placed in an ice slurry to drop the internal temperature below 50 degrees Fahrenheit within three hours of harvest, according to the state’s Department of Agriculture. 

Caregivers, please be careful!

Stay safe out there.