Gifford’s Dairy recalled 3,585 one-quart containers of HomeMaine Power Play Fudge ice cream on August 14 after possible rubber piece contamination was found. The recall covers customers in Massachusetts, Maine and Vermont.
The product at the center of the ice cream recall can be identified by lot code 26184, a best-by date of 08/27/27 and UPC 8 60864 00030 7. Gifford’s said the ice cream was sold through Hannaford, Shaws and other grocery stores across the three states, putting the recall in front of shoppers where the product is most likely to have already reached freezer cases and home freezers.
The FDA posted a notice about the recall on August 20 and classified it as Class II on August 19. That designation means use of the product may cause temporary or medically reversible health effects, while the chance of serious harm is remote.
Gifford’s, based in Skowhegan, Maine, said it distributes more than two million gallons of ice cream a year across New England. The company has described itself as a fifth-generation family-owned business that sources fresh milk and cream locally, which makes the recall more visible for a brand that relies on a wide regional footprint and routine store distribution.
The company said the contamination may have come from equipment that broke down during processing, but it has not confirmed the exact source. That leaves the central question of how the rubber pieces entered the product unresolved, even as the recall already has been put in motion and publicized by the FDA.
For consumers, the immediate issue is whether a carton bought before the notice is among the affected ones, and the answer turns on the lot code and best-by date printed on the package. No illnesses or injuries have been reported in the facts available, but the recall remains active and the product should be checked before it is eaten.
