Blue Bell begins 1st ice cream shipments after listeria

BRENHAM, Texas (AP) -- Blue Bell Creameries has resumed ice cream shipments four months after listeria contamination halted sales and production.

The Brenham, Texas-based company on Tuesday used Twitter and Facebook to announce its trucks "are on the road again" and filled with ice cream. The messages did not say when and where Blue Bell products would be sold.

Blue Bell in April voluntarily recalled all products after its treats were linked to 10 listeria illnesses in four states, including three deaths in Kansas.

The company stopped production and started extensive cleaning and decontamination at its plants in Brenham, Alabama and Oklahoma. Alabama regulators last week said Blue Bell could resume production in Sylacauga.

Listeria is a bacteria that can cause serious illness.

Blue Bell didn't immediately return requests for comment Tuesday.

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