Brenham, Texas-based ice cream manufacturer Blue Bell Creameries L.P. agreed to plead guilty to charges it shipped contaminated products linked to a 2015 listeriosis outbreak, said the U.S. Department of Justice.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), an estimated 1,600 Americans get listeriosis each year, and about 260 of them die. The infection typically is caused by eating food contaminated with the bacterium Listeria monocytogenes.

Hispanic cuisine makes up a large portion of the food market in the United States, and the demand of Hispanic-style cheeses has been rising over the past two decades.

The food industry has been fighting the deadly bacteria Listeria monocytogenes (Lm) for decades. Drawing on experience, science and technology, the industry has made great progress in devising strategies to prevent product contamination.

Listeria closed two ice cream plants temporarily this spring. Experts offer advice on how to control this potentially deadly organism.

DuPont Nutrition & Health introduced the BAX System Real-Time PCR Assay for Genus Listeria.

Arm your staff with information. Teach them what listeria is, where to look for it and how to eliminate it in your dairy plant.