Blue Bell Creameries has been ordered to pay $17.25 million in criminal penalties in connection with 2015 listeria contamination.
A federal court in Texas sentenced the ice cream manufacturer to pay the largest-ever criminal penalty imposed following a conviction in a food safety case.
“American consumers must be able to trust that the foods they purchase are safe to eat,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Jeffrey Bossert Clark of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “The sentence imposed today sends a clear message to food manufacturers that the Department of Justice will take appropriate actions when contaminated food products endanger consumers.”
The plea agreement and criminal information filed against Blue Bell allege that the company distributed ice cream products that were manufactured under insanitary conditions and contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes, in violation of the Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act. Blue Bell was allegedly negligent for not properly recalling the products or issuing any formal communication to inform customers about the potential contamination.
