After three reports of small plastic foreign objects being found in their ice cream, the Berkey Creamery will be recalling all ice cream and frozen yogurt produced between May 16 and August 11. The Creamery will be offering full refunds or exchanges for all ice cream purchased during that period, either from the store itself or from their website, which ships their famous product on dry ice.

If you purchased ice cream from the Creamery that shows a “BEST IF USED BY” date between February 10, 2013 and August 11, 2013, it is suggested that you take part in the recall, which was sparked by a criminal investigation in mid-August after the three reports of small pieces of plastic being found in customers’ ice cream. Though there have been no illnesses in relation to the situation, it is suggested by the Creamery that anyone who believes they may have ingested the plastic should “immediately consult a healthcare professional”.

An independent investigation — no, not by Louis Freeh — concluded that the plastic did not get mixed in with the ice cream during the manufacturing process, presumably being placed in the ice cream at a later time. The Creamery will be limiting access to the production area, increasing surveillance, implementing the use of x-ray devices and metal detectors, and notifying ingredient suppliers. The Creamery will also be using “tamper-resistant packaging” in the future to avoid foreign objects being placed in their product after the initial manufacturing process.

“The safety of the public is our number one concern,” Tom Palchak, Creamery manager, told Penn State Live. “Although by all accounts these appear to be isolated incidents, they are troubling to say the least. We have a longstanding reputation for safety at the Creamery and a product that consumers trust. We are erring on the side of caution with this recall and in taking the actions we are taking to prevent any recurrence.”

The moral of the story is — when you can’t even trust a scoop of vanilla ice cream from the Creamery, what can you trust?