ARCSA Orders Recall of La Artesanal Chocolate Ice Cream After Listeria Detected — What to Check

ARCSA (Agencia Nacional de Regulación, Control y Vigilancia Sanitaria — Ecuador's health and food safety regulator) has issued a recall for a specific batch of La Artesanal brand chocolate ice cream after lab analysis confirmed contamination with Listeria monocytogenes.

The Product

| Detail | Info | |--------|------| | Brand | La Artesanal | | Product | Chocolate-flavored ice cream (milk and vegetable fat) | | Manufacturer | Helados Novísimo S.A.S. | | Lot/Batch | 26-01-026D |

What ARCSA Did

• Ordered immediate removal from all retail points
• Suspended the manufacturing facility's operations
• Required the manufacturer to report full distribution details
• Mandated a corrective action plan before operations can resume

Why Listeria Is Serious

Listeria monocytogenes causes listeriosis, a foodborne infection that can be severe or fatal in vulnerable populations. ARCSA specifically warned: "Esta enfermedad puede representar un mayor riesgo para mujeres embarazadas, recién nacidos, adultos mayores y personas con inmunodeficiencia."

At-risk groups:

• Pregnant women
• Newborns
• Elderly adults
• Immunocompromised individuals

Symptoms typically include fever, muscle aches, nausea, and diarrhea. In severe cases, the infection can spread to the nervous system.

What to Do

1. Check your freezer. Look for the lot number 26-01-026D on any La Artesanal chocolate ice cream packaging
2. Do not consume it. Dispose of the product immediately
3. If you've already eaten it and develop symptoms, seek medical attention and mention the Listeria recall
4. Report suspicious products via the ARCSA Móvil app (available on both the Play Store and Apple Store)

What This Means for Expats

This is a single lot recall, not a brand-wide issue. La Artesanal ice cream is widely sold across Ecuador. Only lot 26-01-026D is affected. Other lots and flavors are not part of the recall.

The recall system worked. ARCSA detected the contamination through routine laboratory analysis, pulled the product, and shut down the facility. This is the regulatory process functioning as designed.

Know where to report. The ARCSA Móvil app is useful for reporting food safety concerns — it's available in Spanish and works for any product regulated by Ecuador's health authority.

Source: El Telégrafo