Tip Top is recalling a batch of its Jelly Tip ice creams due to the possible presence of a bacteria which can cause severe gastrointestinal illness.
The recalled ice creams were sold in a six-pack cardboard box and had a best-before date of 30 September, 2028.
Food Safety deputy director-general Vincent Arbuckle said the product, sold at Woolworths supermarkets in the North Island, had been removed from shelves.
“The concern with these products is that they could contain the bacteria Bacillus cereus, which can cause severe gastrointestinal illness,” he said
“They should not be eaten. You can return them to the place of purchase for a refund. If that’s not possible, throw them out.”
Bacillus cereus in milk products usually causes diarrhoea, with symptoms typically appearing one to six hours after eating the contaminated food. Most people recover within a day.
Arbuckle said the agency hadn’t received any reports of people getting sick.
“As is our usual practice, New Zealand Food Safety will work with Tip Top Ice Cream Company to understand how the contamination occurred and prevent its recurrence.”