Jeni's Splendid Ice Creams Is Recalling Products and Closing Shops

Three days after Blue Bell Ice Cream voluntarily recalled all of its products due to Listeria concerns, Jeni's Splendid Ice Creams is following suit. The Ohio-based company is removing its products from shelves and temporarily closing all shops. Jeni's announced the decision in a press release Thursday.

"Our top priority is guaranteeing the safety of all consumers by taking every possible precaution," Jeni's CEO John Lowe said in a prepared statement. "We have decided to recall everything currently on retailer shelves, and we are closing our scoop shops until we are 100 percent confident every item we sell is safe. We have called in experts to help us find the root cause. We will be working with our suppliers to determine if the bacteria was introduced by one of the ingredients we use. We will not reopen the kitchen until we can ensure the safety of our customers."

The company says it is unaware of any Listeria-related illnesses caused by its products, but contamination was discovered in a sample randomly collected by the Nebraska Department of Agriculture.

Listeria monocytogenes is an organism that can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections in young children, frail or elderly people, and others with weakened immune systems. Symptoms for otherwise healthy people can include fever, severe headache, stiffness, nausea, abdominal pain, and diarrhea. Infected pregnant women can suffer miscarriages or stillbirths.

Jeni's has three Atlanta locations in Westside, Decatur, and Inman Park's Krog Street Market.