KANSAS CITY, mo. — Kansas health officials say a foodborne illness linked to some Blue Bell ice cream products might have been a contributing factor in the deaths of three hospital patients.
Kansas Department of Health and Environment spokeswoman Sara Belfry said Saturday that listeriosis didn’t cause the deaths. Belfry said the only detail she could provide about the patients at Via Christi Hospital St. Francis in Wichita is that they were adults.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration says five people developed listeriosis in Kansas after eating products from one production line at the Blue Bell creamery in Brenham, Texas. Listeriosis is a life-threatening infection caused by eating food contaminated with bacteria called Listeria monocytogenes, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The FDA says listeria bacteria were found in samples of Blue Bell Chocolate Chip Country Cookies, Great Divide Bars, Sour Pop Green Apple Bars, Cotton Candy Bars, Scoops, Vanilla Stick Slices, Almond Bars and No Sugar Added Moo Bars.
The Associated Press
