SARASOTA, Fla. (WWSB) – The listeria outbreak that forced Sarasota’s Big Olaf Creamery to close earlier this year is over, federal officials said Wednesday.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says its investigation has ended.
“As of November 2, 2022, this outbreak is over,” a notice on the CDC website says.
Investigators say the bacteria found in the ice cream caused 28 people from 11 states to fall ill between January and August. One death of a woman from Illinois was reported.
Seven illnesses were among pregnant people or newborns. One illness resulted in a pregnancy loss, the CDC noted.
There are two wrongful death suits against Big Olaf Creamery working their way through the courts. Both are still active. No trial dates for either have been set. The estate of Mary Billman filed the complaint for wrongful death in federal court, charging the woman died of listeria 11 days after eating Big Olaf ice cream in Sarasota.
Billman was visiting her daughter on Jan. 18 when she ate ice cream at the company’s store on Bahia Vista Street, the suit says.
A week later, the 79-year-old woman began having gastrointestinal issues and a low-grade fever. Her symptoms persisted, and on Jan 27, she awoke to a 103-degree fever and was admitted to a hospital in South Florida.
The suit says over the next two days her organs began shutting down. She died Jan. 29.
A second lawsuit has been filed in Pinellas County Court on behalf of Kristen Hopkins, a Massachusetts woman who claims she miscarried after eating ice cream tainted with listeria.
The suit alleges Hopkins was attending a wedding in Clearwater that was serving ice cream made by Big Olaf and became very ill. Hopkins was pregnant. The hospital tested her for listeria and tragically an ultrasound showed that Hopkins had miscarried her child.
Hopkins’ attorney says she also nearly lost her own life and was treated with antibiotics.
In July, the Florida Department of Agriculture & Consumer Service shut down all production of Big Olaf ice cream after nine environmental samples taken its facility on Cattlemen Road tested positive for listeria.
During the outbreak, two of Big Olaf’s retail stores briefly shut down but later reopened under different names, using ice cream from other local suppliers.
A spokesperson for the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services tells ABC7, “The processing of Big Olaf remains under stop use order and no products are currently being manufactured (or distributed) from the location. FDACS remains in contact with the facility to ensure compliance. Any of the rebranded/renamed stores you mentioned in your inquiry are under the jurisdiction of the Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation so we do not have any information to provide in that regard.”
ABC7 called Big Olaf’s lawyers for comment Thursday but have not yet received a reply.
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