Blue Bell recalls products around the globe

Since the partial recall began, additional testing at company plants revealed that Listeria was found in another half-gallon ice cream. This led the company to place all of its products on the recall list and to bring in food safety microbiologists to inspect plants and systems.

"While we initially believed this situation was isolated to one machine in one room, we now know that was wrong," Kruse said in the news release.

Kruse also said that the company is implementing a procedure to test and hold for release pending further safety tests all products made at all of its manufacturing facilities.

Additional safety procedures and testing at the facilities include expansion of daily cleaning and equipment sanitizing programs, increasing the swabbing and testing at plants to reach more surfaces, sending samples daily to a microbiology laboratory for testing and providing additional employee training.

"At this point, we cannot say with certainty how Listeria was introduced to our facilities," Kruse said. "We continue to work with our team of experts to eliminate this problem."

Consumers with concerns or questions can visit the company's web site, www.bluebell.com, for updated information.

"We want enjoying our ice cream to be a source of joy and pleasure, never a cause for concern, so we are committed to getting this right," Kruse said.