Snoqualmie Ice Cream issues voluntary recall; Molly Moon's forced to close

SEATTLE -- A popular ice cream and gelato maker based in Snohomish County has issued a voluntary and precautionary recall of all its products for all flavors, fearing they might be contaminated with a potentially harmful bacteria.

Snoqualmie Gourmet Ice Cream Inc. issued the recall Tuesday of all ice cream, gelato, custard and sorbet for all flavors and sizes produced on or after Jan. 1, 2014 and before Dec. 1, 2014.

The company fears the products "have the potential" to be contaminated with listeria monocytogenes, an organism that can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections in young children, frail or elderly people, and others with a weakened immune system. Though no bacteria was found in the product, it was found in a room that manufacturers the ice cream.



No illnesses have yet been reported, according to the Puget Sound Business Journal. Healthy individuals may suffer only short-term symptoms such as high fever, severe headache, stiffness, nausea, abdominal pain and diarrhea.

The ice cream, gelato, custard and sorbet were distributed in Arizona, Idaho, California, Oregon, and Washington may have been further distributed and sold in various retail outlets in Alaska, Colorado, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, North Dakota, Texas, Utah, and Wyoming.

The products are labeled Snoqualmie Ice Cream, Snoqualmie Gelato, Snoqualmie Custard, Snoqualmie Sorbet or Emerald & Spruce Ice Cream or Top Pot Hand Forged Ice Cream and have a production date code located on the bottom of the container.  The date codes included either end in “4”, e.g. XXX4 (pints and cups) or are listed by date: January 1, 2014 through December 15, 2014 (trays & tubs).

The well-known Seattle ice cream spot Molly Moon's was forced to close Tuesday because of the recall, the Puget Sound Business Journal reported.

Molly Moon's does not use Snoqualmie Gourmet ice cream, but does use dairy and sugar pasteurized at the facility.

Molly Moon's said it will reopen Friday.

Late Tuesday, Bartell Drugs announced it was issuing a voluntary recall for Emerald & Spruce, the private label ice cream produced by Snoqualmie Gourmet Ice Cream Inc.

"Emerald & Spruce ice cream products have been removed from store shelves at all 63 Bartell Drugs locations in King, Snohomish and Pierce counties.