Here’s a very regional food recall that provides us with a very universal lesson about the inter-connected nature of our food system. You may remember the recall announced shortly before Christmas of the entire 2014 output of Snoqualmie Gourmet Ice Cream. That was bad enough for the company and for ice cream lovers alike, but Snoqualmie supplied dairy to other ice cream makers, which now must recall their 2014 output and sanitize their facilities.

Affected businesses included Molly Moon’s, an ice cream parlor that used Snoqualmie products, and closed down briefly after the recall was announced. Other ice cream makers were affected, too, including Full Tilt Dairy in Seattle, which distributes ice cream in Washington state and in Oregon; and Pink’s Ice Cream, also out of Seattle, and distributed only in Washington state.

The recall began when Listeria bacteria was found in samples taken by the Washington state department of agriculture. So far, authorities don’t know of any illnesses caused by the ice cream, but affected customers may not have realized that they were ill, or connected their illness to the ice cream. Most healthy adults might have experienced passing digestive distress if they ate any contaminated ice cream: they also may have had a fever, muscle pain and stiffness, or a severe headache. Listeriosis poses a particular threat to young children, frail senior citizens, and pregnant women.

Full Tilt has asked customers to bring their ice cream back to the store for a full refund. Call the company at 206-963-5038 with any questions. Pink’s has instructed customers to do the same, and customers with questions can call 206-861-9098.

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