Health News

Cold Stone 'Cake Batter' Ice Cream Contaminated

July 5, 2005 -- The FDA is alerting the public that products containing "cake batter" ice cream sold at Cold Stone Creamery stores nationwide may be associated with an outbreak of salmonella infection in several states.

After being informed by the FDA of the potential contamination problem, Cold Stone Creamery has agreed to immediately remove all "cake batter" ice cream products from its stores throughout the country.FDA's Advice

People who may have purchased take-home products from Cold Stone Creamery containing "cake batter" ice cream should not eat them, but instead dispose of them immediately, says an FDA news release.

Those who believe they have become ill as a result of eating this ice cream should check with their doctor and contact their local health department, says the FDA.

No other types of ice cream -- at Cold Stone Creamery or elsewhere -- are included in the FDA's alert. "FDA is working with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and our state partners to determine the source of the contaminated product and is issuing this alert to protect the public," says Robert Brackett, PhD, in the FDA news release.

Brackett directs the FDA's Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition.About Salmonella

Salmonella Typhimurium is a type of bacteria. It can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections in small children, frail or elderly people, and others with weakened immune systems.

Healthy people may only suffer short-term symptoms, such as high fever, severe headache, vomiting, nausea, abdominal pain, and diarrhea. Long-term complications can include arthritis.Reported Cases

The ice cream's possible contamination with this bacterium came to light after multiple cases of salmonella were reported in late May and early June 2005 in Minnesota, Washington, Oregon, and Ohio. To date, 14 people are ill from this unusual strain of Salmonella, says the FDA.

Many of the people reporting this illness said they had eaten "cake batter" ice cream at a Cold Stone Creamery shortly before their illness began, says the FDA.

The FDA says it will share more information on the topic as it becomes available.