Blue Bell can now resume its production at its plant based in Sylacauga, Alabama, state officials announced on Wednesday, according to the Associated Press.
According to Dr. Jim McVay of the state Department of Public Health, the Alabama plant can now manufacture products without any restrictions.
The ice cream plant has been cooperative enough to share results from tests that prove that it is already free from listeria contamination and indeed, all tests point to negative listeria.
The state inspection also found that the creamery adheres to public health standards and no objection was made on the resumed production.
A report from News 8 stated that the company already confirmed that it has started operations in the factory and is working on the inventory.
Other than that, no announcement has been made. However, Jenny Van Dorf, Blue Bell spokeswoman, said that they still don't know when the products will be rolled out in the market.
Blue Bell halted its production last March in Alabama, Texas, and Oklahoma facilities and issued a national recall in April over listeria concerns.
Listeria is a fatal bacterial infection caused by Listeria monocytogenes that commonly affects the elderly, newborns, pregnant women and people with compromised immune systems.
The company's products were found to be linked to listeria cases and some of them even caused the deaths of three people in Kansas, reports stated.
The national recall resulted to a third of Blue Bell employees laid off from their jobs.
In mid-July, Blue Bell began its trial production in the Sylacauga plant since it's smaller compared to the hometown facility located in Brenham, Texas.
Two Texas plants and the other one in Oklahoma have not resumed production; and it's still unclear when the trial runs will start on those plants.
Meanwhile, reports also stated that Blue Bell is now recalling almost 200 of the workers furloughed following the product recall.
