If you have Blue Bell Ice Cream in your freezer, as I have, you’re going to want to read this.

Step 1: Take it out of the freezer.

Step 2: Carry it to the trashcan.

Step 3: Throw it away.

Yes, throw it away. No, this isn’t about your weight. It’s about Listeria. (You’re thinking about the mouthwash. This is nastier.)

Blue Bell Ice Cream is recalling all of its products currently on the market made at all of its facilities because they have the potential to be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes, an organism that can cause serious, even deadly, infections.

While healthy individuals may suffer only short-term symptoms such as high fever, severe headaches, stiffness, nausea, abdominal pain and diarrhea, a Listeria infection can cause miscarriages and stillbirths among pregnant women, read a recall notice from the U.S. Food & Drug Administration.

Blue Bell’s products consist of ice cream, frozen yogurt, sherbet and various frozen snacks.

“We’re committed to doing the 100 percent right thing, and the best way to do that is to take all of our products off the market until we can be confident that they are all safe,” said Paul Kruse, Blue Bell CEO and president. “We are heartbroken about this situation and apologize to all of our loyal Blue Bell fans and customers.”

The products being recalled are distributed to retail outlets, including food service accounts, convenience stores and supermarkets throughout Virginia, as well as other states.

According to a statement released Monday, the decision was the result of findings from an enhanced sampling program initiated by Blue Bell which initially revealed that their Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Ice Cream half gallons produced on March 17 and March 27, 2015, contained the bacteria. This means Blue Bell has now had several positive tests for Listeria in different places and plants. So far, five people were treated in Kansas and three in Texas after testing positive for Listeria monocytogenes.

“At every step, we have made decisions in the best interest of our customers based on the evidence we had available at the time,” Kruse said. “At this point, we cannot say with certainty how Listeria was introduced to our facilities and so we have taken this unprecedented step. We continue to work with our team of experts to eliminate this problem.”

Blue Bell is implementing a procedure called “test and hold” for all products made at all of its manufacturing facilities, stated a press release. This means that all products will be tested first and held for release to the market only after the tests show they are safe.

If you want, you may return the ice cream for a refund at the store from which it was bought. Throwing it away, however, can prevent someone in the household from accidentally consuming it.

Consumers with questions may call Blue Bell at 1-866-608-3940 or go to bluebell.com.

By: KJ Mushung

Stay updated by liking us on Facebook or following us on Twitter.