Blue Bell knew about listeria contamination, feds say

Timeline: The Blue Bell listeria outbreak

Click through to see the timeline of the Blue Bell recall. The year 2015 started out strong for the beloved Texas ice cream chain. This year the store announced plans to move into Nevada – its 23rd state – due to popular demand and opened its fifth Houston-area distribution center . But the Brenham, Texas-based ice cream maker has now recalled all products after the brand was tied to a listeria outbreak that killed three in Kansas. less Timeline: The Blue Bell listeria outbreak

The year 2015 started out strong for the beloved Texas ice cream chain. This year the store announced plans to move into Nevada – its 23rd state – due to popular ... more Photo: Jamie Squire, Getty Images Photo: Jamie Squire, Getty Images Image 1 of / 39 Caption Close Blue Bell knew about listeria contamination, feds say 1 / 39 Back to Gallery

Brenham-based Blue Bell Creameries found strong evidence of listeria in its Broken Arrow, Oklahoma plant as early as 2013 but failed to improve its sanitation programs, according to findings released today by the U.S Food and Drug Administration.

The reports, which also described sanitation failures at Blue Bell's other plants in Brenham and Alabama, were released after the Chronicle requested them under the Freedom of Information Act.

They describe tests that indicated a high likelihood, or "presumptive positive" for listeria on surfaces like floors, pallets used to store and carry ingredients and other non-food-contact surfaces – but inaction or not enough action by Blue Bell.

"That's as bad as it gets," said Seattle attorney Bill Marler, a food safety expert. "You're just not doing what you're supposed to do."

Blue Bell said Thursday it will be at least several months before its products are back in stores, according to the Associated Press. Ongoing cleaning and sanitizing of its four productions facilities in Texas, Oklahoma and Alabama, along with new training for employees, will take longer than initially anticipated, said Blue Bell CEO and President Paul Kruse.

The findings should have prompted Blue Bell to follow up with tests on surfaces that directly contact food, he said.

"It's almost like they were looking for it in areas that if they found it there they didn't get in much trouble," Marler said. "They just didn't look for it in areas where the risk to the consumer was the highest."

Inspectors also found water condensation inside the Oklahoma plant dripped into frozen sherbet containers during production, and possibly found its way into ice cream mix. They also said Blue Bell's own testing in 2014 found coliform bacteria levels in finished products higher than what the state of Oklahoma allows. In response, the report says Blue Bell didn't change its inadequate sanitation programs, but only executed its regular routine more aggressively after the high bacteria test results.

"When you look at coliform and listeria for the Broken Arrow plant you have a systemic cleaning problem that goes on for years," Marler said. "You know you have a problem."

Blue Bell issued a narrow recall of some products in March, then gradually expanded the recall to everything it makes as continued testing found listeria in more products.

Company officials could not immediately be reached for comment. They have pledged to do major plant upgrades and employee training to eliminate sources of contamination.