HANOVER — Consumers should avoid eating Wilcox Ice Cream with certain best by dates, according to the New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services.

The ice cream is sold at New Hampshire retailers including the Hanover and Lebanon Co-op Food Stores and the Monadnock Food Co-op in Keene, N.H.

At least one affected flavor also is sold at the White River Junction Co-op Food Store, Allan Reetz, spokesman for the Hanover Consumer Cooperative Society which operates the stores, said in a phone interview on Wednesday afternoon. The food stores were about half-way through their own call back of customers who purchased the affected products, Reetz said.

DHHS issued the warning on Wednesday after a sample of the ice cream produced in East Arlington, Vt., tested positive for Listeria monocytogenes bacteria, which can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections, particularly in people with weakened immune systems, such as young children; or frail, elderly or pregnant people.

The company is issuing a voluntary recall of ice cream with “best by” dates of 9/13/24, 9/14/24 and 9/15/24. Flavors included in the recall are: Wilcox’s Sweet Cream, Sweet Cream Caramel Apple, Vanilla, Salted Caramel Turtle, Maple Cream, Premium and Super Premium Mint Chocolate Chip and Super Premium Caramel Brownie, as well as Leonardo’s Gelato Mint Chocolate Chip.

Customers should either throw away the recalled ice cream or return it to the store for full credit.

So far there have been no illnesses associated with the recall. Symptoms of listeriosis include fever, muscle aches, nausea and vomiting. The bacteria also can spread to other parts of the body such as the nervous system where it can cause head aches, stiff neck, confusion, loss of balance and convulsions.

People who suspect they may have listeriosis, which can be treated with antibiotics, should contact their health care provider.

Nora Doyle-Burr can be reached at ndoyleburr@vnews.com or 603-727-3213.