Jeni's ice cream recalls products after listeria discovery

Jeni's Splendid Ice Creams said Thursday it's closing its shops and recalling all of its ice cream, frozen yogurts and sorbets after a pint of ice cream tested positive for listeria.

The Columbus, Ohio-based Jeni's said it's not aware of any reported illnesses.

"However, out of an abundance of caution, Jeni's Splendid Ice Creams is taking this voluntary precautionary measure in order to ensure complete consumer safety," the company said.

The episode follows reports earlier this week of ice cream-related listeria illnesses linked to Blue Bell Creameries products.

Jeni's said contamination in its product was discovered in a randomly tested sample by the Nebraska Department of Agriculture.

Listeria is bacteria that can cause serious and even fatal infections in young children, and frail or older people with weak immune systems. Pregnant women infected can suffer miscarriages or stillbirths. For healthy people, listeria may cause short-term symptoms such as high fever, severe headache nausea, abdominal pain and diarrhea.

Jeni's has 21 stores in Ohio, Illinois, Tennessee, Georgia, South Carolina and California. The company also distributes its ice cream through grocery stores and other retailers in some states.

In the Blue Bell episode, 10 people in Arkansas, Oklahoma, Texas and Kansas became sick with listeria after eating Blue Bell ice cream. All were hospitalized and three people in Kansas died. Blue Bell recalled the products from stores in 23 states.