Update: Blue Bell has laid off a third of its workers after listeria concerns halt ice cream production.
A government study released on Thursday says that listeria, which contributed to the deaths of three people in Wichita, was found in Blue Bell Ice Cream facilities as early as March of 2013. KMUW's Aileen LeBlanc reports...
Three patients, who had been admitted to Via Christi Hospital St. Francis for other illnesses, became sick and died as the result of consuming single serve ice cream products purchased from various Blue Bell Creamery facilities.
The deaths, which took place between January 2014 and January 2015, propelled limited recalls of Blue Bell products.
Eventually, more listeria was found in several ice cream products and more people were sickened. The company recalled all of its products last month.
The Food and Drug Administration launched an investigation and found violations in Oklahoma, Texas and Alabama.
Violations include dirty equipment, improper temperatures for food and employees not washing their hands.
Listeria is found in soil and water and can be tracked into a facility or carried in by animals. It grows well in cool temperatures.
